


What's Mine

by Gandalfgirl579



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: 69 (Sex Position), Alternate Universe - Prostitution, Anal Fingering, Anal Play, Anal Sex, Angst, Biting, Blow Jobs, Canonical Character Death, Car Accidents, Character Death, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Felching, Fingerfucking, Fluff, Frottage, Grinding, Hand Jobs, Heavy Angst, Hooker AU, Language, M/M, Masturbation, Masturbation in Shower, Minor Character Death, Mutual Masturbation, Oral Sex, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Phone Sex, Rimming, Romance, Rough Sex, Scratching, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Yaoi, eruri - Freeform, nosy friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-23
Updated: 2014-06-29
Packaged: 2018-01-16 16:56:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 38,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1354831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gandalfgirl579/pseuds/Gandalfgirl579
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It had been raining for days now, but there was no way he was going to swallow his pride and go to a shelter. No fucking way. Going home would be even worse. That was the only reason he allowed himself to be taken in, to be given shelter by a man he didn't even know: A kind, handsome man who seemed hell-bent on giving him more than he deserved. Modern whore AU, Eruri, mentions of past Erwin x Petra. More characters will also be added as the story passes, including, but not limited to Mike Zacharias, Nile Dawk and Hanji Zoe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Angel in the Streetlight

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first multi-chapter fanfic for this particular series, but I like where it's going! I'll most likely be updating every week, so keep an eye open for new chapters! 
> 
> You can find me here: Strangler-figg.tumblr.com/
> 
> Look me up! :)

It was cold. 

Weird. It was the middle of July, how could it possibly be cold? Levi shivered, curling into himself, a tiny ball of wet clothes and deathly pale skin on the street corner. It had been raining for days now, but there was no way he was going to swallow his pride and go to a shelter. No fucking way. Going home would be even worse. 

Without that, though, there was a chance that this was the end. He'd been sick for weeks now, getting weaker by the day, and being caught outside in this this weather could very possibly be the end of him. 

"Are you all right?"

A voice through the rain, through the fog and lightheadedness, deep, soothing. 

The voice of an angel?

Angel or not, he wasn't getting special treatment. 

There was a glare, bleary gunmetal eyes meeting with -- Hell, he couldn't even tell what color they were. "Do I fucking look all right?" was the growled answer.

"Not at all, no."

Even when the figure knelt closer, an umbrella stopping the torrents of rain blasting down, brushing damp hair out of his face, all Levi could make out was a golden halo. Was he a blonde? There was no way to tell. 

"Do you have a place I can take you?" the angel-voice asked, and Levi looked away, his shame apparent even in his current condition. There was a sigh, and the voice said, "I'll take that as a no." 

There was a rustling of damp fabric, and the angel pulled a cell phone from his pocket -- An odd thing for such a being to possess -- and, from what Levi could tell, calling for a cab. 

"Where the fuck are you taking me?" Try as he might, Levi's words came out as more of a rasping sound than anything intelligible.

Still, this angel, this man, seemed to understand. "I'm taking you to my apartment," he said, scooping the tiny, shivering brunette into his arms, ignoring the small protests it caused, the umbrella tucked against his shoulder, shielding the two of them from the frigid, stinging rain. "You can stay with me until we get you well. Is that all right?"

A weak nod of agreement: "Guess so." Accepting charity was better than seeking it out, Levi decided.

Judging by the man's suit, tailored and obviously of high quality beneath a well-fitted pea coat, Levi assumed that he was trustworthy. If not, oh, well. Things couldn't really get worse than they already were. 

There was a screech, and Levi flinched, clinging tight to the blonde's coat as the noisy cab pulled up to the curb, chugging angrily as it idled. 

Shifting, uncomfortable, and Levi found himself being slid into the taxi's open door, suddenly engulfed in warmth, in the scent of cigarette smoke and cheap air freshener. It was nice. 

Sliding to the far wall, pressing himself to the driver's side door, he watched as the blonde climbed in beside him, giving the scruffy, sour-looking driver directions before leaning in to drape his arm over Levi's shoulders, holding him close.

Tensing, the little brunette came to peculiar realization that that gesture had been completely innocent. This man's hand was warm against his upper arm, holding tight, strong. He was well-built, from what Levi could tell, in the best possible way. A shiver, and that arm around him only tightened. Cute. 

Several long, warm moments passed, the meter up front ticking away before Levi could bring himself to speak: "Who are you?" He winced; his voice was scratchy. That was definitely unattractive.

"Hmm?" 

Rolling his eyes, Levi replied, his voice quiet, rough, "Your name?"

A smile, warm even in the balminess of the cab, lit the blonde's face, though, to Levi, the lines were still blurred. "Erwin." A hand, large and clad in soft-looking black leather, darted out, and, hesitantly Levi shook it. "My name is Erwin."

"Is there a last name that goes with that?" 

That smile was still there when he answered, "Smith."

"Original."

There was a moment of silence, a quiet sort of awe, and then the blonde -- Erwin, apparently -- was smiling again. "There's a lot of fire in you, isn't there?" He sounded amused.

"I like to think so." Barely thinking, Levi leaned in to rest his head against a strong shoulder, somehow radiating warmth from under the confines of Erwin's coat and the suit beneath it. Strange. Nice, but strange. "I'm taking a nap."

A bemused chuckle came before, "You really trust me that much?"

"My life's in the shitter as it is," Levi said, curling close, nuzzling against the blonde's jaw, fully aware of the blush it was causing. "Believe me, there's nothing you could do to me that'd make it any worse."

There was another chuckle, then, "I'm glad you're so relaxed, but there isn't much of a point in trying to sleep. We'll be there in a few minutes."

"Ugh." Levi said it like a curse, but did nothing to pull away, noting with a silent smirk when Erwin swallowed nervously against him. Fucking adorable. 

The ride passed quietly, the pair in the back seat tangled together, warm, Erwin completely ignorant of the daggers the driver was glaring at them. Levi, on the other hand, was well aware of it, glowering right back. Five minutes of scowling and the cab shrieked to a stop, the little brunette forcing himself to sit upright, Erwin quickly paying off the bill and sliding out onto the rain-soaked street, offering Levi a hand. He was a bit unsteady, yes, but the brunette took full advantage, taking it as an opportunity to hang onto the blonde's arm, glaring as the taxi sped off.

"Asshole."

"A bit."

Levi gave a shiver when the blonde's arm was pulled from his grasp, moving instead to loop around his shoulders, holding him close as they strode to front of the building, and, even though the haze in the brain and the pouring rain, Levi could see its appeal, all glass and polished metal, posh and luxurious. 

"Evening, Mr. Smith."

"Evening."

"Nice weather we're having, huh?"

Erwin gave a brief smile in return, though the doorman flinched a bit when he caught sight of Levi, giving a minute nod of acknowledgment. 

The doors parted and, only briefly hesitating, Levi allowed himself to be lead inside, though he cringed a bit when Erwin asked, quite playfully, "Come here often?"

"Occasionally."

As the door closed behind them, Erwin lead Levi over to a group of elevators off to the side of the lobby, the blonde looking curious as he pressed one of the light-up buttons lining the wall. "I've never seen you," he said, pausing a bit when the little brunette's grip on his arm tightened. "Are you friends with someone who lives here?"

"No." Levi kept his tone short, words clipped to sharp points. "Just here for work."

"Oh?" As the doors of the elevator slid closed behind them, Erwin's curiosity seemed to be growing. Fucking perfect. "And what, exactly do you do?"

There was a glare, then a sharp ringing. Saved by the bell. 

"Do you mind?" It was a whisper, though it somehow managed to bounce off the elevator's walls, followed by the rustling of Erwin's coat as he dug his cellphone from the depths of his pocket, his umbrella set to rest in the corner.

Levi's only response was a shake of his head, inadvertently splattering dingy water across expensive-looking fabric.

Erwin just laughed, though it faded when he answered the phone, his breath escaping in a pained whisper: "Petra..." His voice was cold, pained, his face stony. There was a long pause, and Levi assumed this "Petra" was speaking. Nodding, Erwin replied, "I sent them off this morning, signatures and all. They should arrive within the week." Another pause, and Erwin sighed. "I'd rather it not come down to that, if we can avoid it." And then that ice was gone, melting away into anger, and Levi shivered, still clinging to the blonde's arm. It was a good look on him. "I'm not giving up the apartment." With that, he promptly hung up, shoving the sleek phone back into his pocket, heaving a heavy sigh and raking his free hand through his hair. "I'm sorry about that," was all he had to say for himself.

"Not a big deal." A pause, tense, before Levi asked, "Who was it?"

"My wife."

"Oh." There was another pause, this one heavier. "Getting a divorce?"

"Yes." Erwin sighed. "These things happen; Don't worry about it."

"I'm not worrying about it."

There was a bit of a smirk at the corners of Erwin's lips when he asked, "Are you always like this, or are you just grumpy because you don't feel well?"

"I'm always grumpy," was the answer, soft, honest. "Better get used to it now."

"Honestly, I think I like it." Erwin's smile was warm, and Levi shuddered, burrowing his face into the warmth of the blonde's chest. 

"You wanna keep me?"

"Keep you?" That echo held an air of disbelief. "You aren't a pet." Though his vision was still blurry, Levi could easily see Erwin's eyes go wide, as well as the incredulous look that soon overtook the blonde's face. "I never got your name." He sounded oddly amused by that. 

"'Bout time you asked." It came out as a growl. "It's Levi."

"No family name?" Erwin looked guilty, almost, concerned. "Just..."

"Just Levi."

And at long last, the elevator doors slid open. Third floor from the top. Not bad. 

Finally escaping the grip around his shoulders, Levi strode out, surprised at how steady he felt. "Left or right?" was all he said, his body twisted just so. God, if only he were wearing heels, it would have been perfect.

"Right."

Ugh, right. Of course. Everything was right about him. Levi made a show of rolling his eyes before he stalked off, heavy boots clomping noisily against what looked like Italian marble. Swanky. 

"Number?" he asked next, fully aware of Erwin's eyes sliding down his back. There was a sort of power in being looked at like that. Levi adored it.

There was a pause, a near stutter, before the answer came: "Six fifty."

A nod, nearly imperceptible, and Levi was on his way.

Until his legs decided to betray him and buckle, leaving him silently grateful for the strong arms he found suddenly wrapped about his waist. 

"Easy..." How the fuck was he so sincere? "If you need help, all you need to do is ask, and I'll do whatever I can."

"I don't want help," was the hissed response, though Erwin didn't let go, instead helping the tiny brunette to his feet, winding one arm around his lithe waist, holding him close again.

"But you need it," was all the blonde had to say. 

He was right, and reluctantly, Levi allowed himself to be walked down the hall, to the third and final door. "Just point me to the bathroom. I want a bath."

"I can do that." A lighthearted chuckle and the turn of a key, and they were inside. 

The foyer was lovely, the white marble of the hall carried inside, though Levi quickly took note of the mud they were tracking in. That'd be hell once they hit the carpet of what looked like the living room, and the little brunette slid his boots and socks off, leaning onto Erwin for support.

"Can you take your clothes off on your own?"

A beat, silent. "...What?"

Erwin gave a somewhat forced-sounding chuckle at that, his face flushing in embarrassment. "You said you wanted a bath..."

"Oh." Moving to lean against the wall, Levi slid his hoodie off, the navy fabric clinging, leaving his skin clammy, paler than it already was. Gross. "I was hoping you would do it for me."

"I don't know you well enough for that." Rolling with the punches. Impressive. "But I can help you if you need it."

An eye roll, and Levi managed to force out, "Just show me to the bathroom and get my clothes washed."

"Can do." Taking the brunette's elbow, Erwin steered Levi to the end of the hall, to the door on the right, opening into the washroom. The white marble of the floor continued in, accented with silver and icy blue, cozy but still affording space for a large tub and a walk-in shower in addition to the necessary amenities. It was far nicer than the other rooms Levi had seen there. 

"I'll just give you a minute."

Nodding his acknowledgement, Levi watched as the door clicked shut, sighing heavily and plopping down on the edge of the tub. What was he doing? Why the hell did he allow this Erwin person to bring him here? What was in it for the big idiot anyway? Another sigh, and Levi pulled his shirt off, careful to keep it from catching on his ribs. The bruises from the accident were still present, staining his chest and stomach varying shades of eggplant. Absolutely atrocious. The jeans came next, shredded very nearly to bits, followed by his boxers. Leaving his dirty clothes on the floor, he sat at the edge of the tub again, turning on the water, letting it run long enough to warm up before popping the stopper into the drain and slipping in. 

It was wonderful, particularly once the water basin was full nearly to the rim, and the water was shut off, leaving Levi alone in the silence with naught but his thoughts. Absolutely wonderful.

It was soon interrupted. 

"Did you get in all right?"

He didn't feel like answering.

"Levi?"

The brunette shivered, in spite of himself and in spite of the steam wafting on the air. It was clearing his head somehow.

The door cracked open, and a blonde head peeked inside, asking, "Are you all right?"

"Fine."

"I'm going to grab your clothes," Erwin said, sliding in, dressed now in a pair of silky-looking pajamas, the bottoms clearly more worn than the shirt. Levi assumed he didn't wear shirts often, at least around the house. He was handsome, Levi suddenly noticed, finally seeing clearly, all cheekbones and striking sapphire eyes. "I brought you a towel and a pair of my pajamas. They're going to drown you, though..."

"I can deal."

"I want you to be comfortable here," the blonde said, sounding completely sincere. "Help yourself to whatever you want. What's mine is yours."

Levi just nodded, wordless and a bit awe-struck.

There was a moment of silence, Erwin's eyes roving Levi's frame, his eyes trailing over thin arms and protruding collarbones. "We need to get you something to eat, too. You're too thin."

"Okay." There was no way Levi was going to turn down food, even leftovers. "This is nice," he said, a bit off-handedly, though it was an honest statement nonetheless. "I think I'm gonna stay here."

Erwin gave a little smirk at that, asking, "You're very forward, aren't you?"

There was a huff of what seemed to be laughter before Levi replied, "You have no idea."


	2. That Which is Owed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How do you go about repaying a man for allowing you to stay with him when you have no money? Physical favors, of course! And Levi intends to do just that, catching Erwin completely off guard and sparking an inner flame long-since extinguished. Prostitute AU, Eruri, rated E for explicit

Warmth, heat... That was all there was, surrounding him, a warm cocoon, tight and utterly perfect. 

Erwin fisted his hands in the sheets, back arched, eyes still squeezed shut despite the fact that his alarm had gone off nearly fifteen minutes ago. It was a bad idea, letting that boy stay here, especially if he had this effect... 

A moan, soft, slipped past chapped lips, and Erwin managed to force his eyes open. This was no dream. 

"Levi..." It almost sounded like a warning.

"What?" came the response, husky, as gunmetal eyes stared up through thick, dark lashes. He was currently settled between the blonde's splayed legs, calloused hands and warm, soft lips and that oh-so-talented tongue working against Erwin's cock. 

"What are you doing?" the blonde asked, noting that it took all the will he had left to keep his hands from tangling into Levi's hair. Now clean, it looked soft, shiny. 

"Paying you back for letting me stay here." 

There was a long, sensual lick, Levi's tongue trailing wetly along the throbbing vein along the underside of Erwin's cock, sliding the whole thing into his mouth with practiced ease. He was clean, Levi was sure of it. Usually he'd do a bit of research before this stage, but something had come over him... He shrugged that thought off, giving a soft hum and reveling in the responding twitch. Half joking, Levi pulled back, nuzzling a well-muscled thigh and asking, "I sorta owe you, don't I?"

"I suppose you do..." Erwin didn't sound particularly enthusiastic, though, and Levi scowled. "But you don't need to feel indebted to me."

"But I do owe you for taking me in," came Levi's whispered reply, wrapping both hands around the blonde's cock, dipping his head to tongue the slit, loving the way Erwin tensed up beneath him. "And I plan on paying you back any way I can."

"Who says I want this?" Erwin's voice was as tightly wound as his body. "Who says I want you?"

There was a smirk and a shrug of pale, delicate shoulders before Levi replied, "Well, you're hard as a rock right now, so you really don't have to say anything..."

"It's perfectly natural for a man to get excited in the morning." It was a half-baked argument, and Erwin mentally scolded himself. He was in no state to bicker. 

"If you're a hormonal teenager, yes." It was punctuated by a particularly rough squeeze, and Erwin gave a sharp inhale in response. "Or if you're desperate. How long's it been, huh?"

The blonde didn't answer, only glaring with smoldering cerulean eyes, his jaw set, cheeks beautifully flushed.

"Either way, you're not pushing me away," the little brunette eventually concluded, looking a bit smug. "It's obvious you want this." 

And at long last, Erwin seemed to be done fighting, and Levi gave a little smirk before getting back to work. The blonde was a good size, Levi decided, that hot, hard shaft stretching his jaw in an almost pleasant way, probably the perfect size to fill him up... Levi shivered, and Erwin responded immediately, sliding his hands a bit reluctantly into short, dark hair. He was finally getting into it, and the little brunette stepped up his efforts, bobbing his head to an unheard rhythm, his hands stroking against what his mouth couldn't reach. 

It was when those silvery eyes darted up to lock with lust-darkened cerulean that Erwin finally let it go, a near-savage growl tearing itself from his throat as he came, his fingers tightening in Levi's hair, pulling a bit too hard, a soft flush overtaking the little brunette's face in response. 

A few seconds were given for respite before Levi pulled away, a bit surprised when Erwin let him go, swiping one hand over his mouth, grimacing. "Gross..."

There was a soft huff of laughter before Erwin managed to force out a soft, "Sorry." Still breathless. Cute.

"No, you're not." Levi didn't really seem offended, if the tiny smile quirking up the edges of his lips was any indication. Finally upright, though still settled between the blonde's legs, he added, "Go take a shower and get dressed. Breakfast and coffee oughta be done by then."

"Breakfast?"

"The meal you eat to start the day?" Levi rolled his eyes, sliding off the bed, crossing his arms once he stood. "I was looking around earlier, and I saw bagels. That okay?"

"Fine."

Silence. Levi stood at the end of the bed, watching Erwin watching him. 

The little brunette was quite a sight, Erwin decided, arms crossed despite his obvious calm, putting up defenses despite being comfortable. He was still wearing the pajamas he had been lent the night before, dark silk open, exposing the pale, bruised skin of his chest, the pants grossly oversized, barely clinging to his protruding hip bones. He really was too thin. 

It took all his resolve to do so, but Erwin eventually managed to tear his eyes away and stand, his legs like jelly, stopping briefly to drag his knuckles over a faint bruise lining Levi's cheekbone. He hadn't noticed it last night. "Thank you."

"Mm-hmm."

Sparing a glance at the alarm clock on his nightstand, Erwin passed through the living room and into the bathroom, situated just off the entrance hall. He would have to be quick. Stripping and climbing into the shower, he did nothing to add warmth to the water; a cold shower was exactly what he needed. 

This was a very, very bad idea. They had met just last night, and already the feelings were intense, the lust inescapable. Levi was gorgeous. Even battered, emaciated as he was, he was beautiful. 

Groaning to himself, Erwin leaned in to press his forehead to the chilly tile of the wall, icy water racing down his back. It wasn't helping.

Giving an exasperated sigh, Erwin allowed one hand to slide down the length of his body, coming to loosely grip the base of his cock, stroking slowly, languidly. How could he be this hard already? He'd barely had time to recuperate, yet he was stiff already, hips pushing unconsciously into his own hand. 

Petra had never gotten him hard so quickly...

But now was not the time to dwell on such things. He could think later, when he actually had time. 

For now, Erwin decided, just feel.

Inhaling hard, filling his lungs with steam, Erwin allowed his hand to move, stroking, teasing hardened flesh as his other arm supported him against the wall. Toying with the slit, he imagined a warm tongue instead of his own fingers, those silvery eyes on him. The audacity it took to look a man in the eye while you sucked him off... Erwin shivered, his grip tightening. Did Levi look into the eyes of the men who had fucked him? Would he look into Erwin's eyes when they eventually decided to take the next step? 

Oh, that was a thought. Fucking Levi would be...

There were no words. He'd be as snarky as ever, Erwin thought, bottoming but somehow still in control. Domination from the bottom. 

Erwin shuddered, pumping harder. 

He'd have to break him, get him begging. The look in those steely eyes, determination melting away into desperation--

A sharp gasp, and that was that. Hopefully Levi hadn't heard him. 

Making quick work of the mess, Erwin hurriedly shampooed his hair, taking a moment to scrub himself down before the water was turned off. Grabbing a towel from the rack, he speedily dried himself off, the towel still draped around his waist as he left the bathroom in a plume of steam, passing back through the joined living room and kitchen, making no effort to stop and see what Levi was up to. Stepping into the bedroom, Erwin pulled the door shut behind him, tossing the towel into the clothes hamper. He made his way over to the closet next to select a suit for the day. It seemed like a gray sort of day, and a graphite-colored suit was quickly selected, a white shirt to go beneath it, and a just-lighter-than-navy tie. 

A few minutes later, the blonde reentered the living room, greeted by the scent of warm bread and coffee, all with no effort on his part. It was nice. 

"Good morning."

"Good morning," Erwin replied, smiling at Levi's chirp, taking a seat at the island in the center of the kitchen area, that smile only widening when a plate was set before him, two sesame bagels on it, steaming nicely.

"Two bagels enough?" the little brunette asked, pouring a cup of coffee into a mug. "You want anything on it? And how do you take your coffee?"

"Two bagels is plenty, there's cream cheese in the refrigerator and I take my coffee black."

Setting the mug down on the island's countertop, Levi stared for a brief moment before he concluded, "A violet tie would look better with your eyes."

"Violet?"

"Blue and purple go together, yeah?"

Erwin smiled a bit. "Yeah."

Soon the two were enjoying a quiet breakfast together, oddly comfortable in each other's presence. 

Erwin soon broke that calm silence, saying, "I need to leave for work soon."

"I figured," was Levi's reply, sounding disinterested as he stirred a copious amount of sugar into his coffee cup.

"There are a few rules I'd like to lay out first." It was awkward to say, but it was too important not to. 

Levi grouchily pursed his lips, but he kept his eyes trained on Erwin just the same, still attentive. "Like what?"

"You can help yourself to food and clothes, but I don't want you stealing anything, all right?"

The little brunette nodded. 

"I don't want you bringing anyone here, either," Erwin said, feeling a bit guilty. "I have no idea what sort of people you're friends with, but--"

"Not a problem," Levi interrupted, looking a bit irritated, though that was nothing unusual. "I don't have any friends left, so there's no one for me to bring here anyway."

"Oh." After a few seconds of tense quiet, Erwin cleared his throat. "Last rule: I'd appreciate it if you stayed out of the liquor cabinet. If you feel you need a drink, hold off until I get back from work, okay?"

"I'm not much of a drinker anymore."

Something about that tone was off, but Erwin stood anyway. He'd never been late before, and he wasn't about to start now. "I should be back around eight-thirty," he said, unwilling to leave. 

"'Kay."

The two headed to the door, Erwin pushing it open and Levi leaning against the frame, handing the blonde his briefcase.

"You want a goodbye kiss?" 

It was only half-sarcastic, and Erwin gave a bit of a smile in response. "You can if you want to."

No sooner than those words left his lips, Levi had the blonde's tie looped around his fist, pulling him down into a kiss, softer, gentler than expected, ending it only to shove Erwin's face away and subsequently slamming the door in it.

Giving a soft chuckle, Erwin leaned forward a bit, pressing his forehead to the cool wood of the door. "Promise me something, Levi."

"Hmm?" The hum was barely audible through the door.

"Promise me you'll be here when I get back."

Levi was grateful that the door was between them, and that Erwin couldn't see the flush on his cheeks and the smile on his face. "I promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can tell, this is the chapter where the rating jumps to explicit. Yeah. Up for the next chapter: Appearances by Nile and Mike, and an introduction to Erwin's workplace


	3. With Friends Like These

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even around the most imperceptive of friends, certain changes are obvious, certain situations demand attention. There was nothing Erwin could do to stop it, really. There were times he wished Mike and Nile would keep their noses out of his business, of course, but maybe it was best to get his current arrangement with Levi out in the open. Prostitute AU, Eruri, rated E for explicit, though this particular chapter is SFW

Erwin had always been one to wear his frustrations on his sleeve. Or, in this case, on his face, staring down into his coffee cup, watching the ripples dancing through the ebony abyss with an odd sort of enchantment.

"Everything all right?"

"Hmm?"

There was a slightly irritated groan before a file folder was slapped onto Erwin's desk, and he jumped a little, chuckling at his own folly.

"I'm sorry, Mike," he said, his smile shining into his voice. "What did you need?"

"Asked if everything was all right," was Mike's uneasy reply. "You've got a weird look on your face..."

"Do I?" 

There was a hint of amusement in Erwin's tone, and Mike wrinkled his nose in response. "What's going on with you?"

"What makes you think there's something going on?" It was a cop-out, of course, but Erwin couldn't think of anything better to say.

Mike's reply was firmer this time, bordering now on true annoyance: "You've got a weird look on your face, Erwin. Dreamy-like. It's creeping me out," the taller blonde added for good measure. 

"I have been accused of being creepy a few times..." Erwin's smile was far too serene.

Crossing his arms, Mike sighed out, "I mean it. There's something... Off about you."

"Looks like someone got lucky," came Nile's voice from the other side of their little shared office. He didn't even bother looking up from his paperwork. Typical. "First time since the divorce was made official, isn't it?"

Erwin gave a half-hearted glare before he replied, "My personal life is none of your business, Nile. You know I don't--"

"Don't like talking about the divorce, I know." Sounding unsympathetic, Nile continued, "Relationships end. Don't act like it isn't normal."

"Being normal isn't the issue."

"Then what is it?" Nile pressed, clearly becoming a bit agitated. That was to be expected. 

"Seriously, though..." Mike's voice was more controlled, effectively shutting the room's lone brunette down, resulting in an irritable scowl. "Is it going all right?"

"Not at all." Erwin sighed, crossing his arms and leaning in to rest them against the polished wood his desk. "Material possessions aren't important to me, save what I have left of my father's, but Petra seems hell-bent on taking everything, and that's..." Another sigh, heavier than the last. "That's troublesome, especially considering she wants the apartment, and finding another is going to be quite the ordeal, especially at a decent price. And I probably need to get a two-bedroom this time around..." 

That was a mistake, and Erwin regretted it the minute it slipped out. 

"Why do you need an extra bedroom?" Mike asked, only looking half-interested, though Erwin knew better. 

"I need room for the work I bring home." He hoped the lie wasn't too obvious, though he knew the others would undeniably see through it.

"We don't bring work home." Even now, Nile didn't bother with looking up. "It's your rule, remember?" 

"You don't need to lie," Mike added. "Who's staying with you?"

"Bet she's why he's looking so out of it," Nile muttered.

Erwin did his best to suppress the glare threating to shoot daggers at the brunette, barely succeeding. 

"Who is she, Erwin?" At long last, Nile looked up, dark eyes meeting blue. "A rebound? Are you that desperate?"

That glare was allowed to seep through at that, and Erwin replied, "He isn't a rebound."

Another mistake.

"'He?'" Oddly enough, there was no judgment in Nile's voice; only curiosity. 

Mike looked equally puzzled, one brow lifted.

"Yes, my housemate is a male." Erwin could do nothing to mask the tension, the anxiety in his voice. "What difference does it make?"

"You're sleeping with him," Mike said, sounding quite confident in that assessment. 

"I'm not sleeping with him." Those words came out too quickly; They were hardly convincing. 

"Then why do you have that look on your face?" Nile, causing trouble again. "Blowjob? Or just a handjob? There's obviously something going on there."

"Nile." It was sharp, a clear warning.

"You want to, at least."

There was a long pause before Erwin sighed. "Be that as it may," he allowed, opening the file folder on his desk and flipping carelessly through its contents, "I just met him. It's far too soon for that."

"Tell us about him," Mike said, a half-smile on his lips, clearly wishing an end to the pressure overwhelming the room. "What's his name?"

"Levi."

"He doesn't have a last name?" Nile asked, sounding a bit suspicious, though that was nothing new. 

"No." Erwin gave a little smile of his own when he replied. "It's just Levi."

"He refuses to give you his last name then?"

"I'm sure he has his reasons," Erwin said, getting a bit fed up. "If he has a surname at all, he'll tell me when the time is right."

"And how long is that going to take?"

Erwin didn't reply, merely giving a stoic look, and Mike gave a soft huff of laughter.

Eventually, taking it upon himself to break the tension once more, the taller blonde asked, "What's he like?"

Taking a moment to find the best description, Erwin eventually answered, "He's quiet, but not really in a thoughtful way. It's almost like he's suspicious of me, like he's waiting for me to make a mistake. I don't think he trusts me."

"Didn't you just meet him?" Nile asked, skeptical as always. "I didn't trust you when I first met you, either." 

"But you grew to," Erwin said, unable to hide a miniscule smirk. "You trust me now, don't you?"

Nile said nothing, instead pretending to focus on his paperwork, a silent endearment.

"And what's he look like?" Mike inquired next, still curious. 

"You'll pounce on any excuse to avoid work, won't you?"

Casting a slight grin over his shoulder to Nile, Mike replied, "Can you blame me? Being a secretary is humiliating." 

"You're an assistant," was the brunette's clipped reply.

"Close enough," was Mike's response. "You two have all the power, and I'm the one left taking orders and answering phone calls."

Again, Nile gave no verbal reply, just a sort of pouting glower.

"So, Erwin," Mike said, a smirk edging along his lips, "what does this Levi of yours look like?"

"Mike--"

But he was interrupted with a mere gesture of the taller blonde's hand. "And don't go telling me that looks don't matter," Mike said, his voice carrying a startling tone of finality, a bit out of place in such a casual situation. "I know better than to fall for that."

There was a short, soft chuckle before Erwin began, "He's not he's not in the greatest shape right now..."

"You picked up another stray, didn't you?"

"Nile, you shouldn't refer to people as strays."

Rolling his eyes, the brunette reluctantly corrected himself: "Hobos, then. They're dangerous."

"The homeless aren't dangerous," was Erwin's argument. "They're just in need of help."

"Like Hanji?"

Erwin gave a fond smile at that. "Like Hanji," he agreed.

"And she still hounds you, even though it's been years since you took her in."

"And I don't mind it," Erwin countered, still smiling. "Hanji is special; And I don't mind that they insist on checking up on me every so often. I think it's sweet of them, actually."

Nile still didn't look convinced, of course. He had always been stubborn.

"He's not in terrible shape," Erwin eventually continued, "just a bit bruised up and definitely malnourished. He looked better this morning, though. At least he had some color..." And Erwin himself could do nothing to keep the color from rushing to his face at the thought of the morning's activities. "He's tiny, not even up to my shoulder. His hair is black and his eyes... I couldn't tell you what color they are."

"You didn't look?" Mike asked, looking somewhat perplexed. 

"I looked," the shorter blonde said, "I'm just not quite sure how to describe them." He paused, his cerulean gaze dropping back down into his coffee cup. "They're a gray-ish blue sort of color, and they're sort of metallic. They look a bit like liquid mercury, actually, with a bit of blue underneath..."

There was another long pause, and a strange look was exchanged between the others, Nile looking skeptical and Mike amused before the latter said, laughter clear in his voice, "You go it bad, huh?"

"'It?'"

Yet another stretch of silence came after that, awkward, mahogany and hazel boring into shocked, cold blue. They were right. There was no use in denying it.

"Do you really trust him?" Nile asked at last, tense, suspicious. 

"Do you really want to get behind on your work?" was Erwin's reply, a bit stony, yet somehow still even. 

"Just be careful." The only proof of their friendship was rare moments like that, though Nile always had awful timing about it. "You don't know him. Don't put your trust in him just because of a silly crush."


	4. Wine Goes Well With This

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of course Levi was still at the apartment. Where else did he have to go? So he had hung around all day, cleaning and whipping up dinner when the time came. But that wasn't enough. If he wanted to stay, to become a permanent fixture in Erwin's home, he'd have to prove that he was worth keeping around. Given his profession, and the blonde's status as a divorcee, the best method was obvious. Prostitute AU, Eruri, rated explicit for obvious reasons

Nervous, the key slid into the doorknob, turning in trepidation.

The scent was what hit Erwin first: Tomatoes and garlic and oregano. It smelled wonderful.

"Levi?" the call was a bit hesitant as Erwin let himself into the apartment, surprised by the sudden shine that had overcome the floor of the foyer, the marble glistening in the light. Magnificent. "Are you here?" It wasn't a necessary question, really. He knew the answer.

"Obviously," a voice replied from the kitchen, sounding a tad irritated.

Erwin smiled; That was Levi, all right. Shrugging off his jacket, the blonde hung it in the closet, removing his shoes as well before making his way into the main living area. "Smells good," he said, flopping gracelessly onto the sofa, loosening his tie and undoing the top button of his shirt. It felt good to be home, and he could only hope that this place would remain his home. He'd hate to leave, though it seemed Petra had no intention of letting him stay. "What're you making?"

"Why don't you come and see?" There was a slight tease to that tone, and Erwin sighed half-heartedly.

"Because I just got home." It was a sound enough answer, the blonde supposed, though he figured it wouldn't make any difference. Levi wasn't the sort to give up on what he wanted, that had become clear, even in the brief time they had spent together. It was admirable at times, but at the moment, it was merely a bit troublesome.

"Don't care," Levi said, sauntering into the walkway between the living room and the kitchen, dressed in a fresh pair of pajamas, the shirt left open now, and Erwin felt his resolve weaken. He was troublesome, yes, but too attractive to be turned down. "I need you to taste it before I finish up."

Giving another heavy sigh, though it was mostly for effect, Erwin stood, making his way into the kitchen, the little space somehow clean despite the various pots bubbling happily on the stove. "You made dinner and you cleaned the apartment?" he asked, his tone hovering somewhere between surprise and a pleasant sort of awe.

"I don't like dirty things," was Levi's response, sounding a bit clipped as he stirred a small pot of what smelled like pasta sauce of some kind. A quick glance into the other pot -- Spaghetti. The delicious-smelling crimson concoction was definitely pasta sauce.

"Quite the housewife, aren't you?" 

It was meant half as a joke, though Levi seemed to take it quite seriously, responding with a glare and a hiss of, "Don't push your luck."

Erwin smiled a bit when Levi offered him a taste of spicy-sweet pasta sauce, meaty and far better than the blonde had expected. "It's good," he said, a bit dumbfounded, blue eyes wide in a pleasant sort of surprise. Levi didn't seem like the cooking type. Of course, he didn't come off as the cleaning type, either. He was full of surprises, it seemed.

"Good." Pausing in his stirring, Levi stepped over to the cabinet, pulling out a pair of plates and handing them over, quickly adding, "Set things up, would you?"

"Of course." Taking the plates and grabbing a pair of forks from a nearby drawer, Erwin asked, "At the island or in the living room?"

"Up to you." 

A nod of acknowledgement and Erwin took the dishes into the living room, setting up at the coffee table before the couch, quickly returning to the kitchen to fetch glasses. "How old are you, Levi?"

"Twenty-three," the little brunette said, switching off the flames dancing beneath the two pots on the stove, picking up the larger and dumping its contents into the strainer currently occupying the sink. "What's it matter?"

"Spaghetti pairs wonderfully with wine," the blonde said, pulling a pair of crystal glasses from the rack above the sink. "And I'm not about to provide a minor with alcohol, though it seems that won't be an issue."

"I don't drink." There was finality to Levi's tone, his eyes cold as he found a large bowl to put the spaghetti in, gently pouring the sauce over it. "Drink the wine if you wanna, but I'm sticking with milk."

"Suit yourself."

"I will." Levi spared a glance over his shoulder to watch as Erwin slid the pair of goblets back onto the rack, calling to the blonde, "You mind grabbing my drink while you're at it?"

"Of course." 

Taking the bowl of spaghetti and a pasta fork to the table in the living room, Levi took a seat at the sofa, waiting patiently as Erwin followed, carrying two glasses of milk with him.

"You could've had wine."

"It didn't seem right," was all Erwin said, placing the glasses down on the tempered glass tabletop, reaching for the TV remote next, flipping over to the news. "Do you mind?"

A brief headshake of hesitant agreement was Levi's response, and he quickly doled out steaming heaps of spaghetti onto their matching porcelain plates, looking quite pleased with himself. 

The news playing in the background was bit distracting, Erwin had to admit, but maybe it was better that way. Stories of murder and low stock markets worked wonders on killing lust. Oh, put the dinner Levi had thrown together smelled positively heavenly.

If it tasted anywhere near as good as it smelled...

And, of course, it did: The noodles cooked to perfection, the sauce sweet and spicy and tangy all at once, the meat cut small enough to somehow remain smooth. Absolutely delicious.

"This is fantastic." Speaking with a full mouth was rude, but covering it with your hand made it, at least, acceptable, didn't it?

Apparently, Levi didn't think so, giving a half-hearted, "Thanks," looking half disgusted, half amused by Erwin's behavior. That look of disgust increased when a new story began on the television, the screen flashing pictures of a girl and a boy, a redhead and a blonde, respectively, and the story caption, "Funeral For Couple Killed In Tragic Accident Held Today."

"Turn it off."

Sparing a quick glance at the screen beforehand, Erwin did as he was told. "Friends of yours?"

"Don't wanna talk about it."

Erwin let it slide, returning to the task at hand: Dinner. "Where did you learn to cook?" he asked, curiosity lighting his eyes. "You're very talented."

"I'm self-taught."

"Impressive."

"Guess so." When Levi glanced up again, he murmured a soft, "You've got sauce on your face."

"Do I?" Erwin asked, swiping at his face and missing the offending spot by miles. Typical.

"Wouldn't've said it if you didn't."

After a bit more futile wiping, Levi sighed and set his fork down, leaning in close to lick the stray fleck of sauce from Erwin's lips. He was quite the moody little thing...

"I thought you'd already paid me back..." The blonde's voice was soft, a pitiful attempt at a distraction, but it worked well enough. 

"That was for letting me stay the night," Levi replied, his voice quiet, husky as he took Erwin's plate and set it on the table, porcelain clanking loudly against glass. He didn't allow it to distract him. He had a job to do, after all. "This is for letting me stay here permanently."

"And who said it was permanent?" 

There was a bit of a smile on Levi's lips when he pressed a soft kiss to the blonde's lips, warm and insistent. "I want it to be."

Erwin shivered when the little brunette moved in to straddle his hips, grinding down against him. 

"Let me tempt you."

A breath, heated, passed between Levi and Erwin before the little brunette moved in again, catching warm, soft lips with his own, hands coming to grip Erwin's shoulders.

"Levi, I--"

"Shut up." There was a warning in that tone. 

A gasp, sharp, and Erwin finally surrendered, letting his head fall back, his hands drifting up to grasp Levi's hips, holding him close as the smaller man's lithe body worked against his. "You're good at this..."

"I know."

Erwin gave a soft chuckle, the sound cutting off into a strained growl, his grip on Levi's hips tightening, and he was somehow unconcerned with the fact that the brunette would most likely be bruised afterwards. "We're taking this too fast," was all the blonde could think to say.

"Taking what too fast?" Levi's breathing was picking up as well, his porcelain cheeks flushed beautifully. "Want me to slow down?"

"Absolutely not." Erwin allowed a growl to rip itself out of his throat, his hands sliding down along Levi's ass, coming to rest against the backs of his thighs, working as better leverage to grind his hips up against the brunette's. "I mean, you and I are moving too fast. We just met..."

Rolling his eyes, just the slightest bit annoyed, Levi redoubled his efforts, clinging closer to the blonde's chest, his hands coming down to undo the buttons of his shirt, though he stopped at the feel of a strong hand wrapping around his wrist.

"No." 

"No?"

Blue meeting silver, Erwin gave his final word on the subject: "No."

It was a command, and Levi shivered. He was a sucker for authoritative men. Another gasp sounded between them, and the brunette's lips moved down to Erwin's throat, soft kisses peppering flushed skin, splotches of lovely petal-pink blossoming with every touch. 

"I don't usually do this," Levi eventually said, his voice heavy, "but I really wanna leave a mark on you."

"G'head."

Levi smirked. Slurred -- That meant Erwin was close. Good. He got the feeling he wasn't going to last much longer, either. 

Those lips trailed off to one side, hovering lightly over the pulse point along the side of Erwin's neck before Levi finally made his move: Sinking his teeth into that sweet, supple flesh.

A harsh, nearly pained growl managed to rip itself out of Erwin's throat, his face buried in the brunette's shoulder as he came, Levi quickly following suit, clinging like a love-struck teenager. Absolute perfection. 

Even once they had calmed, Levi held onto a smirk, whispering out a soft, mocking, "You came awfully quick."

"You caught me off guard," was Erwin's retort. "I don't think I've ever been bitten before."

"Damn." Levi sounded almost amused by that. "How vanilla was your ex, huh?"

"I'd rather not discuss Petra at a time like this."

"Fair enough."

Silence fell, warm, thick, a well-worn blanket around them.

A few seconds in, however, Erwin noticed something rather distressing: "Dinner's gone cold..."

Levi just wrinkled his nose in response. "You have garlic breath."

"So do you."

"That's not important," the little brunette said, ignoring Erwin's smirk. "We can reheat it, no problem." He allowed one hand to slide down over the blonde's chest, coming to rest at his belt buckle. "I'm more concerned about your pants."

Erwin merely smiled.


	5. The Promise of Tomorrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cleaning was a relaxation method for Levi, a way to escape the past, the thoughts that were still hounding him. The memories hurt worse than the bruises did. Erwin's presence offered some comfort, but really, sometimes, well-meaning as he was, Erwin was only an addition to the stress. The apartment was meant to be an escape, but the blonde's incessant questions definitely weren't helping Levi recover. Prostitute AU, Eruri. PG-13 rating for this chapter, due to multiple mentions of sex

"Do you have a phone, Levi?"

"Nope." The little brunette was currently standing on a stool from the kitchen island, dust cloth in hand, practically attacking the top of the bookshelf beside the television set. He'd been at it most of the morning, and he'd already thoroughly cleaned most of the living room. It was impressive, really. Of course, it had already been done the day before, so there really wasn't much to be done, but his dedication was admirable, to say the least. 

"I think I'm going to get you one," Erwin said, not glancing up from the newspaper in his lap. He sat on the sofa at the moment, Levi across the room from him, though the two were both engaged in tasks of their own. "I want to be able to contact you during the day, just in case."

"And you can't use the house phone to call me because...?"

"Because Petra would see the bill," the blonde said, looking a bit annoyed at that prospect, cerulean eyes darting across off-white paper and black ink. "It will look strange if she sees that I'm calling the apartment when I'm not even here..."

Pausing to sit on the stool, Levi asked, a bit indignantly, "What makes you think I'm here all day, anyway? I do have a life, you know."

There was genuine curiosity in Erwin's voice when he asked, "Where would you go?"

"My apartment."

Levi cringed. Bad move.

A moment passed in shocked silence before Erwin asked, "You have an apartment?"

"Of course." Levi was polishing a blown glass eagle now, those hands working with an odd gentleness against the delicate glass. That was all he had to say on the matter, it seemed. And why should he say more? It was his business, after all. His and his alone. It had been a bad idea, letting it slip like that, yes, but there was something about Erwin that put him at ease. 

But then, of course, the idiot had to go and question him on it, asking, his voice soft, careful: "Why don't you stay there?"

"Rude." Levi didn't seem too upset by it, though. He was good at hiding his emotions. Such control was an art, really. "There are too many memories there," the little brunette said, that stony mask falling for a moment. "Besides, I'm getting evicted in a few days, anyway."

Hesitant, knowing that the younger man most likely wouldn't take it well, Erwin said, meaning it, "I can help you."

"Don't bother." There was that mask again. It was getting a bit frustrating for both of them. "I don't wanna go back. I'd rather just stay here. I like it better here."

"Even so." Erwin only half meant it. He loved having Levi around. He'd been terribly lonely ever since Petra had left. The apartment was cold and Levi was... Well, he was cold himself, but the companionship was wonderful. It was wonderful just to not be alone. He honestly hoped his next words wouldn't ruin the dynamic he and Levi had built over the short time they'd known each other, and he forced out, "This isn't your home."

There wasn't so much as a moment of hesitation before Levi replied, "It is now."

He sounded so certain... 

Erwin gave a slight smile at that. "That's good to know," he said. "I'm glad you're so comfortable here." That smile faded a bit, though, when he asked, "Do you actually want to be here, or are you just here because I offered a place to stay?"

"Mainly it's 'cause you offered," Levi said, "but I really do like it here. I'm gonna stay here, I think. I'm gonna stay here as long as you'll let me."

"Is it desperation?" Erwin asked next, concern still darkening his face. "Or are you actually happy being here?"

"I am happy here..." It sounded pensive, oddly melancholy, and Levi scolded himself. Pathetic. They had just met, but... There was something to Erwin that was utterly enchanting, some inner warmth that Levi quickly felt himself being drawn into. He was a moth drawn to a flame, a humble moon caught in the orbit of some shining, golden planet. He was falling. The blonde was right; they were moving too quickly.

But quicker was better than slower. Better to act now, before he lost his nerve.

"Erwin--"

"At the very least, though," the blonde interrupted, steadfast, "you should go and get your things."

"There's nothing there I want," Levi replied, placing the eagle back upon its perch on the shelf. It was the truth, really, or so he liked to tell himself. He had not business in going home, nor any desire to do so. Everything in the apartment was in the past, too, and that was how he intended to leave it. 

His toothbrush would have been nice, though. Erwin had provided one, but it was too basic for Levi's tastes. His teeth didn't feel clean without sonic action, even after a few too many uses of mouthwash. Clothes would be nice, too...

"You don't even want your clothes?" Erwin asked, one eyebrow raised somewhere between confusion and curiosity.

Ugh, he was too perceptive. 

"I don’t even want my clothes," the little brunette lied, standing on the stool again to wipe down the next level of the shelf. This one was occupied by books: A mixture of banking and stock market reference books and adventure classics. The copies of The Old Man and the Sea, Treasure Island and Journey to the Center of the Earth seemed particularly worn. He picked them up and set them aside for the time being.

"You can't really plan on wearing my clothes for the rest of your life," Erwin said, unable to mask the slight tone of amusement in his voice.

"You think I'm going to be with you for the rest of my life?" Levi asked, smiling a bit in spite of himself.

"It's a possibility, I suppose," was the soft, flustered answer.

"Besides, why can't I wear your clothes for the rest of my life?" the brunette asked, replacing the books he had moved earlier and running the dust cloth along their spines. "Your clothes are comfy." He gave a slight smile after that. "Plus, I can get away with wearing pajamas every day."

"Be that as it may," Erwin said next, unable to fight back a smile, "if we need to go anywhere, you'll need clothes of your own. Besides," he added with a smile, eyeing the brunette's still-bruised back as he cleaned, "my clothes drown you."

"Keeps you staring, though," Levi allowed, his smirk hidden, "and that's definitely a good thing. I like having those pretty eyes on me."

There was a moment of silence, awkward but somehow warm, and Erwin's smile widened. 

"That's good, then." 

Levi just nodded, his face turned away, returning the stool he had been using to the kitchen area before taking a fresh cloth to the television screen. 

"But we still need to go."

Levi rolled his eyes. This guy was too persistent. "Don't wanna."

"So I've heard."

Another stretch of silence came after that before Levi said, deathly serious, "I'm horny."

"...And...?" Erwin managed to keep his tone even, though he could do nothing about the faint blush overtaking his cheeks at that slightly inappropriate declaration. He raised the newspaper to hide it. It was a juvenile trick, but it got the job done.

The little brunette just shrugged, wordless.

"Do you always use sex to shut people up when you don't get your way?"

"Not always." It was an honest answer. "And who said it had to be actual sex anyway? Maybe I just wanna sixty-nine."

"I'm a foot taller than you, Levi," Erwin said, the laughter clear in his voice. "It wouldn't work."

"So..." Levi glanced over his shoulder, looking oddly catlike. "No sex then?"

Erwin sighed in response, "You're still on that?" He didn't seem pleased with the idea. 

"You wouldn't want to?" Levi asked, hoping he kept the resentment from his voice. "Why not?"

"I never said I wouldn't," the blonde replied, meaning it. He has every intention of fucking Levi as soon as morally possible, actually. "I'm just uncomfortable of the idea having sex with someone I barely know."

Levi gave no response to that. 

"You use sex as a pawn," Erwin said, the discomfort he felt shining through in his voice. "I doubt it would mean anything to you if we were to sleep together at the moment."

The little brunette took a long moment to summon his voice before he asked, very softly, "Why would it mean anything?"

Erwin gave a pause of his own, gathering his thought, clichéd as they were. "I'm not going to say that sex is sacred," Erwin began, "I know that there are people who have one night stands and whatnot, but..." He sighed, wistful. "I've always believed that sex should be reserved for loving couples, and I've resolved that if I'm going to physically involve myself with anyone, there has to be emotion behind it."

"So a mindless fuck is out of the question then?" Levi asked, grinning a bit, grateful that his face was still turned away.

"Absolutely."

"You're pretty old-fashioned, huh?" the little brunette asked, unable to mask the tiny bit of admiration that had somehow sneaked into his voice.

Erwin replied, smiling, "I like to think so."

"You're saying we'd need to go on a date before you'd fuck me?"

"Exactly."

"Then we're going on a date tomorrow night," Levi said, resolute. "You're gonna get me some clothes and take me out to dinner."

"What sort of food do you like?" Erwin asked, smiling a bit.

"Pizza could be good," the brunette replied, finally turning to face the other man, leaning back against the shelf, arms crossed. "Know a good place?"

"You want our first date to be at a pizza place?" Erwin couldn't mask the curiosity and disbelief in his voice. "Really?"

"Pizza's fine by me," Levi said, giving a slight shrug. 

"I do intend to take you somewhere nicer, eventually," Erwin said next, looking a bit embarrassed.

Levi let a slight smirk cross his face at that. "You've been thinking about it already, haven't you?" he asked, somehow warmed by the idea. "Cute."

The blonde just smiled. 

"This is just the first date, right?" Levi asked, giving a slight smile of his own. "Then we'll eventually get to the third date?"

"Levi." It came out as a chuckle, warm and affectionate.

"Is that a yes or a no?"

There was a smile in Erwin's voice when he gave his answer: "It's definitely a yes."


	6. What May or May Not be Possible

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being around Erwin was easy. Being around him without getting fucked by him was not. Levi had learned that the hard way. It seemed like Erwin's stupid "standards" weren't going to budge, either, and Levi found himself left high and dry while the older man went shopping. A perfectly timed phone call was helpful in relieving a bit of that stress, though, and Levi planned to take full advantage of it. Prostitute AU, Eruri, rated E for explicit. One-sided phone sex in this chapter, so be warned!

"Do you know what size you wear?"

That question came out of the blue, and Levi raised an eyebrow at it, confused and curious at the same time. "Why do you need to know?" He sounded a bit offended, actually. Somehow, that was cute.

"Well, you refuse to go home," Erwin said, folding the newspaper he had been reading and setting it aside on the arm of the couch, "so I'm going to have to go out and buy you something to wear. I can't take you to dinner in pajamas, can I?"

There was a pause and the clinking of dishes stopped, Levi's hands stilling in the soap-clouded water filling the stainless steel basin of the kitchen sink. Eventually, the little brunette concluded, "I guess you can't."

"What sort of clothes do you wear?" Erwin asked next, crossing one leg over the other, his elbow resting on his knee, that chiseled chin in his hand as he watched Levi work. For being so tiny, the little brunette had a great figure, long legs and nice shoulders and a thin waist. There was definition to it, though, wiry muscle beneath all that pale, still-bruised skin. He was stunning. "I need to at least get you the basics. Jeans, t-shirts, a few pairs of pajamas, at least one button-up..." Cerulean eyes stole a glance at the shelf beside the entertainment center, where the clock sat. It was 10:45. "I'm meeting Mike at eleven to go shopping. We ought to be back by noon."

"Are you bringing him here?" Levi sounded nervous, his shoulders tense.

And, of course, Erwin noticed straightaway. "You don't want me to bring him here?" he asked, sounding a bit anxious himself. 

"Bring him if you want." Levi did his best to keep his voice even. "It's your apartment, not mine."

"You're nervous," Erwin said in a matter-of-fact tone. 

"A friend of yours is gonna wanna become a friend of mine," was all Levi said.

"And you have a problem with that?" Erwin asked, confusion rising on his face.

"I don't like letting people get close."

"You let me get close to you," the blonde said, an earnest, uplifting smile on his face as he spoke.

Levi shrugged. "True enough."

"I've known Mike since I was a child. We grew up together." A smile crossed Erwin's face, warm and gentle and incredibly comforting. "You can trust him."

"I trust you." There was a pause, and Levi grabbed the towel on the counter, drying his hands. "Can't say the same for him."

"Understandable," Erwin allowed.

In the kitchen, Levi scribbled a few words on the grocery list magnetized to the refrigerator. Once that was done, he tore the page from the pad and delivered the new list to Erwin, saying, "These are my measurements."

"You know them by heart?" the blonde asked, surprised.

Levi gave a careless shrug before he said, "I like my clothes to fit. I'm probably a bit smaller than I was, though..."

"It shouldn't be a problem."

A brief nod of consent, and Levi returned into the kitchen, to the sink, working over the dishes leftover after breakfast. It had been a simple breakfast casserole of sorts, eggs and sausage and hash browns all melded together. The mess was a bit troublesome, though, and Levi had been working on it for quite some time now. Not that he minded, of course.

Erwin groaned a bit when he stood, straightening the button-up he was wearing and casting a quick glance down at his wristwatch. "Mike's probably waiting downstairs," was all he said, short and sweet. He didn’t want to make Levi any more uncomfortable than he already had. 

The little brunette nodded, careful not to look back, lest the uneasiness on his face become visible. "Be back soon, okay?"

He could hear the sweet, benevolent laughter in the older man's voice when he replied, "Okay." 

At long last, the front door clicked shut, and Levi gave a sigh of relief, slumping against the counter, his weight resting on his elbows. 

This was getting stressful. Erwin was gorgeous, and being around him with no relief was taking its toll on him. 

Their date was definitely something to look forward to, but Levi was getting anxious. There was a lot riding on it. Hell, to be honest, a home was riding on it. If he fucked up, Levi thought, scrubbing a plate clean, Erwin wouldn't want him anymore. And where was he supposed to go if Erwin decided to give up on him? 

The only response that came to mind was the gutter. He'd be out on the streets again. Going home simply wasn't an option. 

Another sigh slipped past Levi's lips when he popped the stopper from the drain, grabbing at the towel he had set aside earlier and drying his hands. 

This could be bad. This could be very, very bad if he didn't handle it just right.

Plopping down on the couch, the little brunette shivered, the residual warmth of Erwin's body still radiating from the white microfiber. It was nice.

Oh, but now was not the time to laze about.

He needed to think of a plan. 

Erwin seemed to like the real Levi, so that was definitely good. Levi could relax around him. He could be himself around Erwin, snark and all. No need for that irritating-as-shit batting-eyelashes, giggling idiot garbage. Good. He wasn't the best actor in the world.

Carefully setting the morning's newspaper on the side table so as to not knock it over, Levi curled himself into the corner of the couch, feeling the haze of sleep come over him. He'd only awoken a few hours ago, but already he was exhausted. He didn't do well with stress.

He was sleeping a lot lately. He didn't dream. Sleep was pure darkness for him, an escape from the near-constant sleepiness that had been lingering on him, heavy in his eyes and his limbs. It was an escape, far from the thoughts of the lost loved ones, lost lives and potential futures that plagued him. It was a reprieve. 

Levi gave a soft smile when the warm, welcoming blanket of sleep pulled him below. He needed to get away. Erwin, who had himself become a refuge of sorts, was stressing him out at the moment, and Levi was near desperate for a quick respite to prep for the evening. 

Somehow, Levi managed to doze for a while, afflicted by images of Erwin over him, inside him, flushed, panting, perfect. 

It was the buzzing of the phone in his pocket that roused Levi from his nap. It was Erwin, of course. No one else had his number, and Levi intended to keep it that way.

"What?" His voice was husky when he answered.

"I'm on my way back."

"Oh." Levi glanced up at the clock: Fifteen after noon. Erwin was late. "What'd you get?"

"Two pairs of jeans, three pairs of pajamas, a few t-shirts, a white button-up, a few..." Levi could practically hear Erwin blushing when he concluded, "Underthings..." There was a pause and a brief, murmured conversation with a voice deeper than Erwin's. "Do you want me to pick up a pair of shoes for you while I'm out?"

"Nah, my boots are fine." It was the truth. They were old, but not particularly worn out. Besides, he liked the worn look of them.

"In that case," Erwin said, "I should be home in about twenty minutes. We're walking."

"'Kay." Levi sighed, settling into the couch once more. "I had a dream about you," he added, his voice soft, seductive.

"Oh?" Erwin picked up on that tone immediately. "What was it about?"

"You were fucking me."

There was a quiet gasp, and a chuckle from who Levi assumed to be Mike before Erwin shakily replied, "I see."

"Not taking the bait?" Levi could do nothing to mask the disappointment in his voice, instead choosing to play it up.

"No." That response came almost instantly. "Not tonight."

A heavy, dejected sigh slipped past Levi's lips, and he slid deeper into the sofa. "Should I just rub one out then?" he asked, half-joking.

"That'd be for the best," Erwin said, just barely managing to keep his tone even. That needy rasp seemed desperate to claw its way out of his throat, and Mike was guaranteed to notice it, if he couldn't already tell what was happening on the other end of the line.

"Talk dirty to me." It sounded like an order.

"I'm in public, Levi," Erwin replied, sounding downright mortified, his tone low and soft and utterly embarrassed. "That's not really possible."

The brunette rolled his eyes at that. "Shame."

"Levi..."

It was a warning, harsh, but the younger man didn't take it that way, twisting that tone around into something warm and arousing. "Your voice is kinda sexy, y'know?"

On the other end of the line, Erwin sighed. "Enough, Levi."

"Never enough." Those words came out as a sort of exhale, and Levi allowed his right hand to slide down along the bare skin of his chest, slipping into the oversized pajama pants barely clinging to his hips. That warm hand finally reached its destination, and the little brunette bit down on his lip, half-stifling a whimper. Oh, if Erwin could see him now... 

No red-blooded man could resist him, Levi knew that.

Was he arrogant? Yeah. But was he right? Fuck yeah.

"Wanna fuck me when you get back?"

"I already said no," was Erwin's response, and Levi gave a soft huff of laughter in response. 

"You're kind of a stick in the mud, huh?" That last word was hardly a word at all, more along the lines of a gasp.

"I have standards." There wasn't much resolve in Erwin's voice.

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yes." There was another gasp, and Erwin rolled his eyes, his face flushed despite his firm glare. "I'm hanging up now, Levi."

This time a sharp moan came in reply, and Levi all but begged, "Say my name again."

It was a simple enough request, Erwin supposed, and before he finally hung up, he managed to force out a soft, husky, "Levi."

And, somehow, that was enough. That voice alone was enough, and Levi tossed his head back against the sofa, his hips pushing up against his hand, fucking his own fist until skin and fabric and bruises were all painted pale.

Blinking through the haze, Levi lifted his hand, examining the soiled, shaky skin. Gross.

A lazy smirk soon overcame his face, though, and he relaxed a bit.

Nasty as it was, it was totally worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first time writing phone sex, one-sided or not, so I'm really hoping it's not too bad! Also, next hapter, we finally get around to our boys' first date! Stick around!


	7. Of Life, Loss and Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi was nervous, there was no denying that. They'd only known each other for two days, but his relationship with Erwin was progressing rapidly, and their first date was right on the horizon. Erwin was right, and he was aware of it: They were moving far too quickly. But, hey, a first date meant there was progression to a third date, and eventual sex. It was worth it. Prostitute AU, Eruri, rated E for explicit, though this particular chapter is safe for work

"That phone call was incredibly inappropriate."

Levi did his best to hide the little smirk on his lips when Erwin finally returned to the apartment. "Is that right?"

"Obviously." Erwin clearly wasn't amused.

"You need to relax."

"Says the one who's constantly cleaning," Erwin replied, smiling a bit. It soon faded. "Levi, I understand that someone as attractive as you are--"

"Thank you." It sounded smug.

"--Is probably used to getting everything you want, when you want it, but I'm not going to give it to you. Is that understood?"

Levi just shrugged, and Erwin sighed, "If you aren't going to cooperate with me, the date is off."

"You wouldn't call it off," was Levi's response, snarky and certain, and he silently thanked whatever deity was watching him that he kept the insecurity out of his voice. 

"Even so." At long last, Erwin took a seat on the sofa, leaving his shoes on, taking the shopping bags with him. "Come make sure I got the right size."

Scooting along the floor from his place in front of the television set, Levi took the proffered bags, setting them down on the table to rifle through their contents. He pulled a pair of jeans out first, unfolding and inspecting them straightaway. The wash was nice, but, "They're a little small."

"In all fairness," Erwin replied, his voice somehow free of mockery, "you're a little small."

Levi didn't reply, instead pulling out a slightly darker pair of jeans and setting them aside to get a look at the t-shirts Erwin had selected. There were three in total: One black, one white, and one a lovely shade of teal. It'd compliment his eyes. It looked like the fit would work fine, too. The fabric was stretchy, most likely clingy. Good. The next bag was torn open -- What kind of clothing store used paper bags? -- and a packet of black boxer-briefs and another of socks were pulled out. The pajamas came out next, two pairs, one dark blue and the other a shade of forest green. They were sets, though Levi knew that Erwin was aware that the tops would never get worn. The last item had a bag of its own, and Levi carefully unfolded the crisp white button-down, examining the fabric. "This is nice," was his final assessment.

"I think it'll look better once you put it on," Erwin said, smiling a bit. God, he was charming...

Giving a brief nod, Levi stood, his face blank and only slightly flushed as he slid the baggy pajama pants from his hips, eyes locked with Erwin's all the while. Once they were off, he grabbed for the lighter pair of jeans, stepping in and sliding them up as slowly as he could, that smoldering cobalt gaze never wavering. The button and zipper were soon done up, and he reached out for the button-down, flinging it over his shoulder and doing the buttons up to the base of his collarbones, leaving his throat exposed.

Erwin felt his mouth go dry, though he did his best to ignore it. "You look nice," was all he said.

"Thanks." Wasting no time, Levi was soon on his knees between Erwin's spread legs, hands on the blonde's thighs, gunmetal eyes boring into cerulean. "Want me to pay you back?"

One of Erwin's hands was in Levi's hair in an instant, holding him back, and the brunette shivered, that blush darkening across pale cheeks. 

Erwin just sighed, "Again?"

There was a slight shrug before Levi leaned in to nuzzle the blonde's thigh, giving no verbal reply.

"Enough, Levi."

And, surprisingly, the brunette pulled back. "Why are you such a fucking prude?" He sounded a bit irritated, a bit... Offended, almost. 

"Because I have standards," was the reply, stiff, unmoving. "I'm actually fairly sure we've been over this before."

"Still." Levi stood again, hands in his pockets, one hip cocked. There was a pause as he gathered his thoughts, tension clear in his voice when he finally asked, "Is it that you don't want me?"

"We've been over this, too," Erwin said, his eyes weary. "I would love nothing more than having you in my bed, but we just met, and we've already gone too far."

There was another pause, heavier, and Levi asked, his voice soft, "Is the date off then?"

"Of course not."

Levi gave a brief half-smile before he asked, "What time?" 

"You're already dressed," Erwin said, not missing a beat. "Why not go now? Is a lunch date acceptable?"

"Yeah, sure."

A soft smile passed between them, warm, comforting, and Levi quickly made his way into the foyer, dropping to one knee to put his boots on. It felt odd, the old, weathered boots and the new clothes. He paid it no mind, giving an absentminded smile when Erwin arrived next to him.

"Did you find a good place?" the brunette asked as he stood, tucking his hands into his pockets. The fabric was still a bit stiff. 

"Actually, I already knew one."

That piqued Levi's interest, and he asked, "Yeah?"

"I go there pretty often," Erwin said, holding the door open as they exited the apartment, heading to the elevator. "It's a big dingy, but the food is great." The blonde gave a smile when Levi's eyes sparked. "And we can walk; it's pretty close."

"I don't mind walking." Going quiet for a moment, Levi reached out as discreetly as he could, sliding his fingers against Erwin's. "Is this okay?"

The blonde looked a bit dumbfounded for a moment before a smile bloomed across his face. "It's fine."

"It doesn't go against your so-called standards?" Levi asked, his voice just the slightest bit bitter. 

"Not at all."

There was a stretch of quite, of Muzak and a warm sort of peace. 

Levi, of course, was the one to break it. "I'm confused," he said, the emotion showing slightly on his face. "You were with a woman. You were married to a woman, but you're okay with being seen holding hands with a guy?"

Smiling a bit, Erwin replied, "What should it matter that you're a guy?"

A pause, and Levi felt the breath flee his lungs, leaving in a soft huff. This was good. This was definitely good. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he felt the pressure ease off. Erwin didn't care that he was clearly male -- Good. He could work that to his advantage. 

The elevator eventually ding-ed, and the two stepped out, still hand-in-hand as they passed through the lobby, past the tall, sweaty doorman and out into the sun. It was warm, the light golden, hazy. 

"How the hell was it so cold when you found me?" Levi wondered aloud.

"It really wasn't all that cold," Erwin said, sounding a bit guilty, unperturbed by the occasional odd look from random passersby. "I think it just felt that way to you because you were so sick."

"Guess you're right..."

"I still can't believe you got better so quickly," the blonde said, blue eyes falling onto the shorter man. "Two days and already you've already made a complete recovery."

"Mostly," Levi agreed. "I'm sleeping a lot during the day. I've been really tired."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Levi just shrugged.

The rest of the walk was quiet, but Levi quickly felt that all too familiar fatigue come over him. They'd have to take a cab home. The restaurant was only a few blocks away, but by the time they arrived, he was leaning on Erwin's arm for support, grateful that the walking was through and he could enjoy air conditioning and good food.

Levi never took notice of the pizza joint's name; he was too wrapped up in the pleasantly icy blast of the air conditioner, the warmth of Erwin against his side, and the scent of garlic and tomatoes and cheese wafting on the air. 

"Are you all right?" Erwin asked as they took their seats, off to the side of the bustling dining room. 

"I'm all right." They sat opposite each other, and Levi had to hide a smile when Erwin's hand rested over his on the cool tabletop. It seemed the blonde really didn't care people would think. Still, he had to pull his hand away to examine the restaurant's laminated menu. "Just a bit tired."

"You'll feel better once you eat," Erwin said. 

Almost as if on cue, a tiny, smiling blonde appeared beside the table, chirping out a chipper, "Afternoon, Mr. Smith!"

He was too friendly, and Levi felt a glare forming on his face. Armin, the little blonde's nametag said. It was a pretty name. The dirty look intensified.

"I'll have my usual," Erwin said, tossing a placating glance to Levi before asking him, "What about you?"

"A small pepperoni with pineapple," was the terse reply, cold gunmetal eyes locking with the waiter's baby blues. Somehow the kid managed to not break eye contact despite the fact that he was clearly a bit alarmed. It was impressive. "And a Dr. Pepper."

Giving a nod of acknowledgement, the little blonde soon disappeared into the kitchen.

"Really?"

Levi tossed a startled look at Erwin, asking, "What?"

"Pineapple on a pizza?" The blonde looked at once curious and disgusted. 

"Don't knock it 'til you try it," was Levi's only defense. Soon enough, though, he asked a question of his own: "You come here often enough to have a 'usual?'"

Erwin replied with a question for a question: "You'll eat an entire small all on your own?"

"I have a fast metabolism."

"You're lucky," Erwin said, allowing a soft chuckle. "I have to go to the gym during my lunch break just to stay in shape."

"But you do eat at lunch, right?" Levi couldn't hide the slight tone of concern in his voice. 

"Of course."

Again, nearly on cue, Armin appeared, a tray in each hand. The kid had perfect timing, Levi had to give him that. 

"That was fast."

"His order was texted ahead," Armin replied, setting a small pizza in front of Levi, a tiny personal-sized pizza in front of Erwin, and their respective drinks before them. "Yours was just done quickly."

"You can do that? Text ahead?"

"Not usually," the little blonde whispered, "but Mr. Smith is one of our best customers, so he gets special treatment."

"Oh."

A soft smile, and Armin left again.

Levi went at the pizza first, though not without offering a piece to Erwin, all but demanding, "Try it."

"This isn't some sort of trick, is it?" Erwin asked, a tense, forced smile on his face.

The brunette's reply was to take a bit of his own piece, a seductive smile on his lips all the while.

Still nervous, Erwin took a bit, chewing slowly, experimentally. "This isn't half bad," was his final conclusion. The spiciness of the pepperoni and the tanginess of the sauce went well with the sweetness of the pineapple. It went together well. He even finished his slice. "Not bad at all."

A few minutes passed in companionable quiet, both men enjoying a tasty lunch until Levi asked out of the blue, "You really don't mind what other people think about you?"

"Why would I?" Erwin replied, taking a sip of water from the glass at his right. "If they don't know me, why should their opinions of me matter?"

There was a soft smile on Levi's face when he asked, "Did your parents teach you that?"

"No," Erwin said, no trace of sadness in his voice. "I wasn't raised by either of my parents after I was eight."

"What happened when you were eight?" Levi inquired, resting his chin in his hand, his elbow placed on the table. Something told him it was rude to have an elbow there, but he ignored it. 

"My father died when I was eight," Erwin said, his voice oddly serene. He'd made peace with it, it seemed. "A heart attack at thirty. He worked himself to death."

"I'm sorry," Levi said, meaning it. "What about your mother?"

"She died giving birth to me," Erwin said. "But after my father died, I ended up living with Dot, an old family friend. He was my father's business partner, a bit of an eccentric, but a good man nonetheless."

"He's the one who taught you about not caring?"

Erwin nodded, a sad smile on his lips. "He got around quite a bit for a man his age, and he drank far too much and far too often, but he really was a very wise man. He knew how to live right."

That tone... "He's dead, too, huh?" Levi asked, his voice soft, careful. 

"For about two years."

Barely realizing he was moving at all, Levi's hand found Erwin's atop the table, the tips of his fingers touching the tips of Erwin's.

"I was, naturally, quite upset by it, and it was making Petra nervous," Erwin continued, his eyes down. "I took to drinking, and she decided that she couldn't deal with that. Honestly, I don't blame her. I hoped for a while that she'd come back once I recovered, but it's been months now, and I suppose I'm doing fine without her. She isn't coming back, and I don't think I mind that."

Their fingers twined together in one warm instant, and Levi cast a gentle smile up at Erwin, his eyes softening from gunmetal to quicksilver when he said, "It's her loss."


	8. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite the excitement of Saturday, Sunday passed quietly, calmly. Levi spent most of the day just lounging about, curling up and sleeping in Erwin's lap whenever the opportunity to do so presented itself. It happened with surprising frequency, to tell the truth, though perhaps that had merely been because Erwin had wanted it that way. The events of Monday morning, though, were a different story entirely. Prostitute AU, Eruri, rated E for explicit

Despite the excitement of Saturday, Sunday passed quietly, calmly. Levi spent most of the day just lounging about, curling up and sleeping in Erwin's lap whenever the opportunity to do so presented itself. It happened with surprising frequency, to tell the truth, though perhaps that had merely been because Erwin had wanted it that way. No matter the cause, Levi was content, as close to happy as he had been since the accident, since he had lost the two who meant the most to him.

Erwin, for his part, didn't seem to mind being used as a pillow, a look of warmth and utter serenity on his face as he sat on the sofa, his fingers carding through soft raven locks and stroking against pale skin. There was a certain tranquility to a sleeping Levi that was very nearly perfect. Being in the presence of such a rare sight was truly a gift, and Erwin took full advantage, absorbing all the flawless peace he could from the sleeping brunette.

Falling asleep on the couch, though, had been extremely unwise. Erwin had developed a massive cramp in his neck, and his legs had long since gone numb despite the fact that Levi barely weighed anything at all. The alarm was buzzing in the bedroom, and the blonde ruefully untangled his limbs from Levi's, creeping off to silence that horrid screeching. 

By the time he passed back through the living room, padding quietly along pale carpet, heading toward the shower, Levi was already awake, though just barely. 

"Did I wake you?" Erwin asked, doing his best to keep his voice soft.

"Mm-hmm." 

"I'm sorry," was all Erwin said, an apologetic smile on his face.

Levi had pushed himself up onto his elbows, sleep-heavy eyes dark and glassy, one cheek from where it had rested against Erwin's thigh. "Mm," was all he had to say. One hand eventually lifted to his head, trying in vain to tame the unruly black stands, a strained frown on his face. He made quite an amusing sight.

A more genuine smile on his face now, Erwin whispered out a soft, "Go back to sleep."

"Already awake," was the grumbled, hoarse reply. Levi, at long last, sat entirely up, rubbing at his eyes, asking, "Gettin' in the shower?"

"Yes."

Slowly, clumsily, Levi climbed to his feet. He had been sleeping on the couch since his arrival, and it had only served to make him less of a morning person that he usually was. Truth be told, were it not for the constant fatigue that had been plaguing him of late, he'd have been up early every morning. There was nothing like seeing the sunrise, nothing like the utter calm just before dawn, and it used to be a favorite time of his. And then things had changed, and he'd found himself sleeping later and later, despite the nightmares. It was too early to be up now, but he pressed on. A shower sounded nice. Stumbling into the blonde's arms, he muttered, "Goin' with you."

Erwin just smiled, looping a securing arm around the smaller man's waist, holding him against his side as they made their way into the bright white of the bathroom. 

The instant the door was shut, Levi sat down on the edge of the tub, rubbing at his eyes as eyes as Erwin undressed beside him, pulling a pair of thick, fluffy towels down from the rack above the toilet. 

At long last, Levi felt fully awake, saying, "I'm surprised you're okay with this."

"Why wouldn't I be?" Erwin asked, a slight flush on his face as he slid the glass door of the shower stall open. "You've already seen everything," he added, to which Levi only responded with a sleepy half-smile.

The water was soon turned on in the little walk-in, the temperature tested against skin before Erwin stepped in, and Levi sluggishly shed his pajamas and joined the other inside, leaning so that his back was pressed to the blonde's chest. His excuse was a soft, "Don't think I can stand on my own just yet."

Erwin offered no response, silently grateful for the fact that the brunette could not see the flush that had rapidly overtaken his face at the sudden intimate contact.

They went silent after that, each going about his own routine until Levi smirked, rinsing the shampoo from his hair. Ah, so the plan had worked. Feeling victorious, he leaned his head back, resting against Erwin's shoulder, gunmetal boring into sapphire.

For his part, Erwin sighed, his eyes darting away. "You were planning this, weren't you?" he asked, his voice low. 

"Mm-hmm." Levi's voice was nothing more than a soft purr, his eyes half-lidded as he nuzzled against the blonde's jaw, hands coming back to slide along the taller man's thighs, drawing him closer.

"Levi, you know--"

"That we've gone on a date," the little brunette interrupted, his right hand rising up to stroke against the nape of Erwin's neck, allowing himself a smirk when the blonde shivered in response. "That we're an official couple now. Just lemme jerk you off, at least. It's totally acceptable."

There was no verbal response, instead just the tightening of large hands on his hips, and Levi's right hand came sliding down along flushed, damp skin to rest around the base of Erwin's cock, a whimper dying in his throat when the blonde did the same. 

There was a soft whisper against his ear then, Erwin's voice coming low and rough, barely audible beneath the rushing of water around them: "Given we're official now, it only seems fair that it'd be mutual, don't you think?"

Giving a brief nod, Levi allowed his fist to tighten, stroking along warm skin, occasionally adding in that twist of the wrist that he knew felt nothing short of heavenly.

Erwin's response was a soft growl, muffled against the little brunette's shoulder, and Levi shuddered, pushing his hips against the blonde's encasing hand. Levi gave another quick jerk, thumbing along the head, smirking a bit when Erwin seemed to mirror him.

The steam was getting to him, Erwin decided. It must have been, for him to allow Levi to talk him into doing something like this. He had no experience with men, and he was certain it would show. It was embarrassing, to say the least, but really, it did only seem fair to reciprocate, no matter how inexperienced he was. He'd just have to use the techniques that he enjoyed employing on himself. Besides, being around someone who wanted him as much and as fervently as Levi did was driving him mad, and his resistance was quickly wearing down. 

A particularly rough tug pulled Erwin from his thoughts, and he felt his own hand tighten around Levi's cock, felt the brunette toss his head back again, teeth bared, back arched, raven locks splayed over his shoulder. 

To see Levi so undone was just... God, he was nothing short of perfect, panting, writhing, grinding his ass back against Erwin's thigh... He hadn't been ready. Erwin was nowhere near ready to get this close, but damn it all, there was no regret in him for it. It felt too good to regret it.

Levi gave a soft gasp when the blonde came against the small of his back, a quiet, strained moan catching in his throat when he lay his own hand over Erwin's, guiding him, pumping hard and fast until he came too, spilling himself between their joined hands. 

A moment of quiet passed, Erwin still slumped against the brunette's shoulder, breath hot against his ear. His lips were within reach, and something within Levi stirred at that. To kiss Erwin would be-- No. That wasn't his choice to make. That'd be overstepping for sure and Levi did his best to shove the idea away, instead focusing on their still-joined hands, though they now clung rather limply to his hip.

Eventually, though, their hands separated, and the two managed to pull away from one another, albeit reluctantly, scrubbing down again and stepping out of the little stall and into their towels. 

It was Erwin who lead the way into the bedroom, giving a displeased sound when Levi, his hair still sopping wet, flopped unceremoniously onto the bed.

"It'll dry up by the time you get back," was all Levi said, his face buried in the pillow, his words muffled by the soft fabric. "It's a lot more comfortable than the couch," he added, barely thinking. "I sleep here pretty often, actually."

"I've noticed," Erwin replied, slipping into one of the many suits lining the closet, paying special attention to the selection of ties. A violet one would do nicely. "My pillow doesn't smell like me anymore."

There was a brief pause before Levi lifted his head, and propping his chin on the pillow, said, "You oughta let me sleep here at night, too."

"We are a couple," Erwin allowed. Grabbing a pair of socks from a low shelf, he came to sit beside Levi on the bed, taking a quick glance at the brunette's back. "Your bruises are fading."

Sparing a look at his shoulder, inquisitive eyes trailing down along his bicep, Levi sneered. They were fading, yes, but to a rotten shade of yellow. Disgusting. At least when they were fresh, they had been a pretty blackberry color.

When Erwin's voice sounded again, suddenly breaking the silence, it was kept quiet, careful: "What happened to you, Levi?"

Levi, of course, did not answer.

"Oh, and by the way," Erwin said, sliding one foot into black fabric, wondering if the other had fallen asleep, "don't worry about breakfast. I'll grab something on the way to work."

"You sure?" Ah, so he hadn't. "Gas station donuts'll make you fat. Get something healthy, at least. Don't start letting yourself go on my account."

"Go to sleep," Erwin said, unable to keep the laughter out of his voice.

"Can't," was the reply, muffling as Levi hid his face in the pillow again. "I'll sleep after you leave, when it's quiet."

A slight sigh escaped Erwin's lips before he asked, "Then you don't mind if we keep talking?"

"Not really," Levi replied, shrugging as best he could from his position on his stomach, arms holding the pillow close, breathing in the scent of shampoo and cologne that clung to the fabric.

"Do you work?" Erwin asked next, glancing over his shoulder, eyeing the back of the brunette's neck.

"You shouldn't ask questions you don't wanna know the answer to."

One brow raised in curiosity and a fair bit of concern, Erwin again asked, "Do you work, Levi?"

"I'm a whore."

There was a soft gasp, a stiffening in broad shoulders, and a harsh whisper of, "Tell me you're joking."

"You don't have anything to worry about, really," Levi said, his voice still stifled against the pillow. "I'm clean. I get checked out at least once a week." 

Still, there was no answer, and all Levi could think to say was, "What did you think I was doing on a street corner in the middle of the night?"

At long last, Erwin spoke: "For how long?"

"Just a few weeks." It was the truth, and Erwin seemed aware of it. 

"That won't do at all."

"I'm hoping cooking and cleaning is enough to make up for the lack of rent money," Levi said next. He was starting to feel a bit desperate. He had nowhere else to go; Erwin was all he had now.

Though it was still troubled, the blonde gave a soft smile at that.

Giving a half-smile of his own, Levi added, "That and getting you off when you'll let me."

"Don't reduce it to that." Erwin sounded quite serious, the quirk of his lips fading. "I like having you here, even without the sex."

"You're the only one who'll be getting any from me for a while anyway." That little half-smile grew a bit when the brunette said, meaning it, "I don't wanna fuck anyone else."

Erwin offered a smile of his own at that. 

"So." Eventually, Levi took it upon himself to break the silence. "What do you want me to do for dinner?"

"Don't worry about it," Erwin replied, a flicker of some form of recognition in his eyes. "I'll bring something home. You still like pizza, don't you?"

"As long as you're not breaking up with me, yeah," was all Levi said, settling into the bed again, shivering a bit when Erwin pulled the blanket up around his hips.

"I'm not breaking up with you."

"Good." There was a smile on Levi's face when he added, "You're too nice, you know that?"

"I'm not as nice as you think," the blonde said, a chuckle in his voice as he stood. "I'm bringing friends."

All Levi could do was glare at the bedroom door as it closed.


	9. A Friend of Yours is a Friend of Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He didn't like strangers. He could charm the pants off the Pope if he wanted to, yes, but all that bravado and flirtation was really just a façade to hide the nervousness that seized at his gut anytime he was in the presence of people he didn't know. He didn't want to have to flirt with Erwin's friends to feel at ease with them, didn't want to have to manipulate them, to manipulate Erwin, if he didn't have to. Prostitute AU, Eruri, rated E for explicit, though this chapter is safe for work.

The morning had gone better than planned, Levi had to admit, but the evening was going to be an entirely different story, he was sure of it. 

He didn't like strangers. He could charm the pants off the Pope if he wanted to, yes, but all that bravado and flirtation was really just a façade to hide the nervousness that seized at his gut anytime he was in the presence of people he didn't know. He didn't want to have to flirt with Erwin's friends to feel at ease with them, didn't want to have to manipulate them, to manipulate Erwin, if he didn't have to.

Besides, flirting with Erwin's friends would be wrong, wouldn't it? His morality had become a bit of a gray area as of the past few weeks, but Levi was still fairly certain that doing so was far from okay, no matter how attractive they may have been. 

Of course, if they were particularly good-looking, the subject of his lack of self-control where sex was concerned would come into play, and that would definitely be a bad thing. He was somewhat infamous for his inability to hold himself back when he was genuinely attracted to someone, despite how rare an occurrence it was to come across such a person. 

He didn't really want to psych himself up, but it seemed to be happening anyway, and once six o'clock rolled around, his stress level was off the charts, and the fact that Erwin and his friends would walk in any second was only making it worse.

Friends...

Oh, Jesus, that meant more than one. 

Just how many people was Erwin planning on having over? Was this going to be some sort of party?

Parties were the worst. Parties meant drinking, and drinking made for unfortunate incidents. Life-changing incidents. Nothing good ever happened at parties.

Levi sighed, curling onto his side in the blonde's bed, for the first time not finding comfort in the warmth and silkiness of the sheets. 

He'd seen most, if not all of the photographs in the apartment, though, and there weren't many others in them. 

A pretty woman with strawberry-blonde hair and a smile nothing short of radiant was present in the majority of the photos, though the ring on her left hand was sure proof that she wouldn't be attending Erwin's little dinner party. Petra, that was her name, wasn't it? Not that that mattered now. Erwin was his, as far as Levi was concerned. Petra wasn't coming back.

There were three others who appeared in the photos fairly often: Two men and a woman.

The man who appeared most often in the pictures was a gargantuan blonde, taller even than Erwin, dark eyes alight with mischief in nearly all of them. He was handsome, Levi decided, though the thought was banished as soon as it had a chance to form. This blonde was not a customer. He was a friend of Erwin's, and he would be treated as such. Just a friend.

The second-most-frequent guest star in Erwin's photo collection was a woman. She looked unkempt, though, and that was a bit off-putting, though there was something warm and open about her bespectacled face that seemed to draw him in. Odd.

Levi scoffed at the next in his impromptu popularity chart. Ugh. Fucking Nile. Wonderful. How could someone like Nile be friends with someone like Erwin? They had nothing in common. Nile was slime. He was scum, a fucking cheater, nothing like the near-perfect angel who had taken a worthless piece of trash like Levi in. It couldn't be Nile in those pictures. It WASN'T Nile in those pictures.

Tossing his newly-found anger aside, Levi forced himself to sit up and slide off the bed. Since Erwin's little shopping spree, he had been granted a space of his own in the closet, on a shelf near the bottom. Slipping off the pajama pants he had stolen from Erwin -- They were comfier than his own -- he grabbed at a darker pair of jeans and a black t-shirt, not bothering with socks. This was a casual sort of situation, wasn't it? God, he hoped so.

When six-thirty eventually hit and Erwin still hadn't arrived, Levi felt a familiar nervousness gnawing at his gut. Had something happened? Had there been an accident? Erwin was never late. 

The moment the worry settled into his mind, though, he heard the key slide into the lock of the front door, and he plopped down on the couch, feigning nonchalance. 

"I'm home," the call was louder than usual, more cheerful, and Erwin stepped in, burdened by only his briefcase. 

Asshole better not have forgotten the food, Levi thought.

Ah, nope, there it was: Four pizza boxes in the hands of the gigantic blonde from the photos. The grimy-looking woman came next, chirping on about her newest client and his apparent lack of kidneys. Fucking weird. 

"You're late," was all Levi could think to say, though the words came out so softly that they went unheard, further drowned out by the woman's overly loud voice. Annoying.

"Sorry I'm late, Levi," Erwin said, setting his briefcase on the little table in the foyer and motioning for the other blonde to do the same with the pizza boxes as all three of them removed their shoes. "Just stopped to grab dinner."

Levi just nodded.

"You can relax," Erwin said next, a gentle smile on his face as he slid out of his suit jacket. "My friends are your friends."

Still, Levi said nothing, his face calm, his eyes anxious.

"Hey, calm down, shorty!" It was the woman speaking, pushing her way past Erwin and the taller blonde, collapsing onto the couch beside Levi, smiling brightly, and the little brunette's look of cautious disinterest sharpened into a full-on glare.

Unperturbed, she continued, holding her hand out to him. "I'm Hanji," she said, offering a toothy grin. "Hanji Zöe. Nice to meet you!"

Still no words came, or even a return on the offered handshake.

A forgiving smile on his face, Erwin said, "This is Levi."

Sounding amused, unaffected by the smaller brunette's rudeness, Hanji said, "He doesn't say much, does he?"

"Not at first," came the reply, laughter tinging the words. "Just give him time."

Then, at long last, Erwin came into the living room, sitting at Levi's right, giving a slight smile when the little brunette leaned into his side. "You can calm down," he said, his voice a soft, gentle whisper against the younger man's ear. "They're friends." He gave a nuzzle to the top of Levi's head, cheek against silken hair and added, "You trust me, don't you?"

"Obviously."

"Good." Erwin gestured to the big blonde who was now sitting on the floor next to the table, sprawling the pizza boxes there. "This is Mike."

Levi gave an acknowledging nod, a bit surprised when the other gave a rumbling, "Hey."

"I tried to get Nile to come along," Erwin continued, "but he had other plans."

"Don't bring him here," was Levi's reply, harsh and soft. 

"You know him?" Erwin asked, a look of mixed curiosity and confusion on his face. "Nile Dawk?"

"I know a lot of people," Levi said, sinking further into the blonde's side. "Let's just leave it at that, huh?"

And so the subject of Nile was dropped, and the subject of dinner assumed its place.

"You like pineapple on your pizza?" Mike asked, one brow quirked as he slid the box along the table in Levi's direction.

"Got a problem with that?" Levi replied, doing his best to mask the intimidation in his voice. The guy was nearly double his size. 

"No." It sounded genuine enough. Mike smiled a bit, just a quirk of his lips. "Hanji does, too. Kinda weird, if you ask me, but, hey--" He gave a shrug of broad shoulders "--To each their own."

"The pineapple's super good," Hanji said, smiling as she grabbed at a box of her own. "But I like cheddar on it instead of mozzarella. It tastes stronger, you know?"

"Cheddar on a pizza?" Levi wrinkled his nose at that.

Handing a piece over, Hanji smiled, warm and open and oddly charming. "Try it." 

There was a sneer on Levi's lips when he took a reluctant bite of the cheddar-y, pineapple-y pizza, though it was quickly replaced with a look of vague awe. "Not bad," was all he said.

Hanji just laughed.

"You're as weird as she is, huh?" Mike asked, a mischievous sparkle lighting his eyes. They were some shade of hazel, though Levi couldn't give the color an exact name. 

"Not weird," Levi said, glaring a bit, despite Erwin's laughter ringing in his ears. "Just different. Better than being boring."

Mike gave a chuckle of his own at that, shaking his head in what appeared to be disbelief. "You got a good one this time," he said, and Levi raised a manicured eyebrow in confusion.

"I'm lucky, I suppose," Erwin said, casting a warm smile down at the little brunette currently curled into his side. 

Levi gave no response save a soft blush.

"He's kinda cold, though," Hanji said, her chin resting in the palm of her hand as she eyed Levi with an oddly clinical expression. She had pretty awful manners, that much was obvious. "Do you warm up after a while?"

"Pretty sure he already said I did," Levi replied, his frigid stare just on the safe side of a glare. 

Hanji laughed at that, leaning forward to meet Erwin's gaze when she told him, "You have terrible taste in friends."

Erwin afforded a laugh at that, as did Mike, the taller blonde saying, "You're his friend, too."

"I know!"

That little laugh-fest ended when Hanji said, "Y'know, Levi, a friend of Erwin's is a friend of mine."

Somehow, Levi was a bit surprised by that. 

"I live at the complex on the corner of Maria and St. Rose," Hanji continued, blinking excitedly behind thick-rimmed glasses. "You oughta visit sometime! I work at night, so I get bored sometimes during the day!"

"Same goes for me. If you get pissed at Erwin or anything," Mike said, flashing the shorter blonde a grin. "He gets pretty annoying sometimes. You wanna come over and talk shit about him, I'm in the same building as Hanji."

Okay, so they were kind of shitty friends. They were friendly, though, and that was worth a lot. They came off as a little strange, but, hey, they were reaching out to him, and with the exception of Erwin, few others had even tried that route. It was nice. 

"So you've been here for about a week, right?" Hanji asked, her face inquisitive. "Have you found a job yet?"

Levi shrugged at that, replying, "Conventional working isn't really for me."

When Mike gave a soft, oddly good-natured-sounding scoff of, "Princess," Levi merely glared, a slight flush creeping onto his face.

Giving Mike a slight punch to the arm, Hanji asked Levi, "You're living here without paying rent, then?" She gave a chuckle, light and carefree. "Lucky!"

"I'm not staying here for free," Levi said, still sulking a bit. "I'm Erwin's whore, maid and chef all in one." 

There was no shame in his voice, and Hanji laughed again. 

"Safe to assume you're a couple, I guess?" Mike asked, looking curious, like some kind of overgrown puppy. It was a good look on him.

It was Erwin who answered: "We've only gone out once."

There was still no shame in Levi's voice, no uncertainty on his face when he added, "We're gonna hafta change that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, so here we have the introduction of one Hanji Zöe. I've never written for her, and if she's terribly out of character, I apologize. Feedback on her characterization (Or feedback in general) is greatly appreciated! :)
> 
> You can find me here: Strangler-figg.tumblr.com/
> 
> Look me up! :)


	10. A Nasty Case of Homesickness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was not going to go well, Levi was sure of it, but Erwin was right. He had been right all along. It was for the best that Levi visit his home. Hell, maybe he'd stay. Erwin was spoiling him. He'd be useless by the time they broke up and he was able to work again. Not that he really wanted to work again, but making money was a necessity. Levi couldn't just sit around playing housewife for the rest of his live, no matter how much he enjoyed it. Prostitute AU, Eruri, NC-17, though this chapter is safe for work

Levi's thoughts had an annoying tendency to be muddled, limited when he first woke up. This was especially true when he awoke from one of the myriad naps he'd been taking as of late. That had been -- Was the only possible reason -- why he had been stunned into full awareness when he sat up, glancing around with wide, bewildered eyes.

This wasn't his bed.

This bed was too soft and much too big. The sheets were the wrong color, too: Stark white as opposed to the steely blue-gray he was accustomed to. They were too soft, as well, silken. His sheets were of linen, not of silk. 

And the smell was off, too, that was the most disturbing part of the whole scene. His pillow smelled clean, of bleach and detergent and too much fabric softener. This one had an earthy smell to it, warm and comforting, though it was not his. Odd. Nice, somehow, but so incredibly odd.

"Levi?"

The little brunette jumped a bit at that.

The voice was familiar, though, deep and earnest, nearly melodic. 

Ah, Erwin. It was Erwin.

"Levi?" He sounded more concerned this time, his voice softer. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." That had come out too quickly to sound convincing, and Levi scolded himself, rolling his eyes and heaving a great, aggravated sigh. 

"You look pale." Sounding just as worried as before, Erwin lifted a warm hand to Levi's forehead, pressing to pallid, clammy skin. "Are you sure you're feeling all right? You don't look well."

Again, though with more determination in his tone, Levi said, "I'm fine." That look of concern was getting to him, though, and he sighed again, leaning forward to rest his cheek against Erwin's chest. "Just a little homesick."

"Levi..." Erwin kept his voice careful, cautious. That was unexpected. Levi had no desire to go home, he'd said it himself. "What's wrong?" The blonde paused, wetting his lips, unable to mask the apprehension in his voice and on his face. "Did something happen?"

"I had a dream," was all Levi said, his voice still rough with sleep.

"About what?"

Levi's response was barely so much as a whisper: "About them."

"...Them?" Erwin knew the concept of "them" perfectly well by now. Levi's friends. He had no idea what had become of them, of why Levi no longer spoke to or of them, but this much was certain: They were a forbidden subject. He flinched at Levi's glare, but steadfastly refused to take the question back, adding, "What about them?"

That dagger-ridden glare softened a bit when Levi's voice came again, saying in a pained voice, "I forgot about them."

Lifting one hand to splay across the small of Levi's back, holding him close, Erwin asked, "Wouldn't that be for the best? It hurts you to think about them, so really--"

"Take me home, Erwin." Again, Levi's words were soft, pained. It hurt Erwin to listen to that weak, sleep-heavy voice speaking in such a wounded tone.

"Are you sure?" the blonde asked, inwardly hoping that this was some kind of joke, that Levi didn't have some sort of plan to leave him. 

To his dismay, the little brunette simply nodded.

Reluctantly pulling away, Erwin stood, asking, "Is it far? Do you want me to call a cab?"

"It's across town," Levi said, stretching and rubbing at his eyes. "But get it here quick, before I lose my nerve."

There was a slight, worried smile on Erwin's lips when he nodded and headed back into the living room, pulling his cellphone from the pocket of his trousers.

This was not going to go well, Levi was sure of it, but Erwin was right. He had been right all along. It was for the best that Levi visit his home. Hell, maybe he'd stay. Erwin was spoiling him. He'd be useless by the time they broke up and he was able to work again. Not that he really wanted to work again, but making money was a necessity. Levi couldn't just sit around playing housewife for the rest of his live, no matter how much he enjoyed it. 

"The cab should be here any minute," Erwin said, leaning into the doorway, still looking concerned. "We should get downstairs." He had brought Levi's boots with him, setting them down on the floor when the brunette's legs swung over the side, lacing them up with shaking fingers.

Levi nodded at that, grateful that he was already dressed, standing and holding onto Erwin's arm as they left the apartment and stepped into the elevator. The trip was short, silent save the tacky Muzak playing in the background, and soon they were in the lobby, Erwin tossing a nod at the doorman before they stepped out into the muggy July heat. 

As they stood on the sun-warmed sidewalk to await their taxi, Erwin asked, "Why?"

"'Why?'" Levi's eyes were still bleary, still hazy with sleep, and he looked a bit confused.

"Why the sudden change of heart?" Erwin asked, doing his best to mask his anxiety. "You said you had no desire at all to go back, didn't you?"

"Honestly, I still don't wanna go back," Leevi said, his voice soft, his tone shaky. "But I don't want to forget them. I'm not ready to really talk about them yet, but..." He sighed, leaning in to rest his head against Erwin's bicep. "I can't let them go. Not yet."

"I don't want you to force yourself to do this," Erwin said, his eyes down. "If you rush--"

"I'll get over it quicker," Levi said, a tone of determination working its way into his voice. "I'll get back to normal quicker."

And that was that.

The little yellow taxi cab soon arrived, and the two of them slid in, Levi quickly giving directions to the Karanese Apartments building across town, though the driver, a bald man with deep-set amber eyes and a rather frightening scowl, seemed highly annoyed by it. 

Levi and Erwin were both silent after that, taking in the city and the sweaty smell of the cab and the police chatter playing over the scanner in the front seat. 

Luckily, the ride wasn't terribly long, amounting to about twenty minutes in the evening traffic, and Erwin handed over a few bills when they stepped out, grateful for the room they now had to breathe.

Levi seemed hesitant to enter, merely standing in front of the building, eyeing the worn brick facade with a look of disquiet and sorrow and loss in his eyes. 

It was a nice-looking building, really, which in itself was odd for the downtown area. The ivy climbing the walls gave it a peculiar, quaint sort of charm, and Erwin felt a strange sense of contentment come over him. This was a nice place, he was sure of it.

Levi, however, seemed unsure, uncertain, lingering at the door once they finally stepped forward. 

"It'll be all right," was all Erwin said, reaching down to twine his fingers with the brunette's, giving a comforting squeeze. 

Giving a slight nod, Levi pressed the buzzer at the door, simply saying, "It's Levi."

"Do you have the rent money?" a gruff voice asked, and the little brunette rolled his eyes.

"We do," Erwin said, holding the button down himself, casting a warm look at Levi, a little disheartened by the sad smile he was given in return.

"I'll meet you in the lobby," the voice on the other end of the intercom said before a bout of static came and the door clicked open. 

"You don't even know how much it is," Levi said, his fingers still tangled with Erwin's when they entered the air-conditioned lobby of the apartment building. 

"Money is no object," was all the blonde had to say.

Mere seconds later, the elevator at the back of the room dinged, and a portly, balding man stepped out. "Levi," he said.

"Reeves," was the reply, and Erwin stepped forward, pulling his checkbook and a pen from the pocket of his blazer.

"What do I owe you?" the blonde asked.

The landlord -- Reeves, apparently -- gave Erwin a rather rude once-over before he asked a question of his own, "You're gonna pay it?"

"I am."

"Five-hundred-fifty."

Nodding, Erwin made out the check, handing it over without a moment's hesitation, turning to ask Levi, "Which floor is it on?"

"Fifth," the brunette said, a tone of awe in his voice, though it was well-hidden.

They were stopped at the elevator's door by the landlord's voice, this time sounding sympathetic, saying, "I'm sorry about Farlan and Isabel."

Levi merely gave a nod and a sorrowful half-smile before the doors slid shut.

"Farlan and Isabel," Erwin said, his tone as gentle as he could manage. "Those were their names?"

The only response he got was a barely audible, "Yeah."

Erwin let the subject drop after that, silent as the elevator stopped, letting them out onto the worn maroon carpet of the fifth floor. 

Levi's apartment was 5-B, off to the left side of the hall. The door was wooden, thick and well-maintained, and the key slid into the lock effortlessly, the door opening directly into the living room. 

The room itself was every bit as clean as Erwin had expected, though the style of the furniture was far from what he had imagined. Instead of the simple, quiet elegance he had anticipated, the room was furnished with an eclectic mash up of styles, part elegant, part utilitarian, and part cozy. It was a strange combination, but it was nice, comforting in some quaint sort of way.

"This is nice," was the blonde's final assessment.

"What did you expect?" Levi asked, a bit of that well-loved sharpness returning to his voice. "A hovel?"

"In this area of town," Erwin said, treading carefully, "yes. But this place is charming. Somehow, though, it isn't you."

"It wasn't just me here," Levi said, flopping onto the couch, sighing contently. "Farlan and Isabel were here, too." 

Giving half a smile, Erwin sat beside Levi, taking in the odd serenity on the little brunette's usually scowling face. He looked at peace, relaxed. It was nice to see him so calm. 

"I'm gonna grab some clothes," Levi said a bit suddenly, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his spread knees, glancing about the room. "A few books, too. That okay?"

"Absolutely." 

There was a smile on Levi's face when he glanced over at Erwin, something melting the ice in those gunmetal eyes. "All my good clothes are here," the little brunette said, sounding almost sly. "How 'bout we do the fancy dinner tonight?"

"Are you sure?" the blonde couldn't help but ask.

And the ice was gone, leaving pale, liquid silver in its wake. "Would I ask if I wasn't?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we hit midpoint with this story. There's also a little bit of reveal for Levi's backstory this time around. We'll be getting more of that from now on, I think. 
> 
> Oh, and the fancy date is coming up in the next chapter! Excited? Let me know! As always, I can be found over here: Strangler-figg.tumblr.com


	11. Official

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sparing a glance down at their entwined fingers, Erwin said, mostly to himself, "You'll be moving in with me officially." Levi, for his part, kept his reply soft. His eyes were down now, too, also focused on their hands. When had they gotten this close? Modern prostitute AU, Eruri, NC-17, though this chapter is safe for work

They were still at Levi's apartment when they readied themselves for the evening. 

"Is there anywhere in particular you'd like to go?" Erwin called from the bathroom as he straightened his suit and tie in the mirror.

"Well, I've always wanted to try real ravioli," the brunette said from what Erwin said to be his bedroom, "you know, the real kind. Not the kind from a can. Not a fan of the Boyardee guy..."

Erwin gave a soft chuckle at that. "Italian it is." 

"Hey, c'mere for a minute." There was no urgency in Levi's voice, though; Just a teasing tone. Shit.

Giving a resigned, vaguely amused sigh, Erwin stepped out of the bathroom, heading towards the end of the hall, to the room Levi had called from.

Admiring himself in the mirror, the little brunette asked, "This look okay?"

Okay wasn't the proper word, Erwin decided, taking in the sight of Levi all decked out. The navy suit jacket was tailored quite well, showing off the younger man's lithe figure, the v-shaped neckline of his black t-shirt showing just in the slightest. The jeans were black, clinging to lithe hips and a cute, perky ass.

Erwin cleared his throat, simply saying, "You look wonderful."

"Figured." Levi had a sly little grin on his face, hands on his hips when he added, "Guessing my ass looks great in these, yeah? You were staring."

The blonde just shook his head, giving a smile of his own in return. 

"Well, since you got to pick the restaurant last time," Levi said, sitting on the edge of one of the room's beds to slip into the well-loved boots he wore everywhere, "I get to pick this time."

It was his bed, Erwin decided. The steely gray sheets were neatly folded, whereas the other bed was a mess. That one must have belonged to Farlan. This wasn't the time for musing, though. Levi had said that he wanted to pick the location for their date.

"Where did you have in mind?" Erwin crossed his arms, leaning against the door frame. 

"There's a little bistro about two blocks away," Levi replied, standing, grabbing Erwin's arm and dragging him along to the front door. "The food is great. All kindsa stuff, too. They've got a chicken and artichoke pizza that's to die for."

"I don't think I've ever heard of artichokes on a pizza," Erwin said as they stood in the hall, awaiting the elevator.

"You'd never had pineapple on a pizza either," Levi said, "but you liked it."

"That I did," was Erwin's response, smiling a bit as they stepped into the elevator. "I think I know what I'm ordering."

There was a little smile on Levi's face at that. 

After the elevator doors slid creakily open again, the two stepped into the lobby, Erwin asking, "Do you want to call a cab?"

Levi shook his head, saying, "I just got up, I should be all right."

There was a nod before they took off out the door, evening settling upon the city, bathing everything in a soft, blue glow. To Erwin, it was ethereal. To Levi, it reminded him of Lady and the Tramp. A few blocks later, the two of them came upon the Braus Bistro, a tiny, charming hole-in-the-wall sort a place. Smiling a bit, Erwin allowed Levi to lead him inside, to where a teenager with buzz-cropped hair stood waiting at a little booth. 

"Evening!" he said, smiling widely as he grabbed two menus from his station, gesturing to the back of the restaurant. There was no indoor seating, as odd as that was. "We're a little full at the moment, but I think we can find you a table."

Oh, so that's where the tables were hiding. Behind the restaurant, there was a little area fenced off with lilac bushes, several tables scattered about the space, though none of them seemed to be empty. It wasn't exactly as formal as Erwin was hoping for, but it was quite nice, and he was definitely content to be there. 

Then, at exactly the right moment, a couple stood to leave, and a girl with long, pony-tailed brown hair called, "Hey, Connie! I've got an empty table for two here!"

"Great!" Clearing his throat, buzzcut lead Erwin and Levi towards the back of the little enclosure, handing over their menus once they were seated. "Have a nice night!"

And then he was gone, disappearing back into the restaurant itself. 

In his place, the brunette stood, smiling as she said, "Good evening! My name is Sasha, and I'll be your waitress! So, what can I get you to drink?"

"Dr. Pepper for me," Levi said, sure of himself as always, "water for him."

"Got it!" The notes were jotted down before the waitress turned away, saying, "I'll take your order once I bring the drinks, okay? The gnocchi is particularly good today!"

"Actually, we already know what we're having."

"Oh?" And Sasha turned around again, eyeing Levi curiously. "Have you been here before?"

"A few times," the little brunette said, "and I know we want the mozzarella sticks as an appetizer, and for the main course, fried ravioli for me, and a personal chicken and artichoke pizza for him."

"Okay!" Another note was taken. "The appetizer should arrive with the drinks."

There was a nod, and the waitress took off.

"This is a nice place," Erwin said, breathing in the scent of the lilac bushes surrounding the little enclosure. "But what if I told you I was lactose intolerant and I can't eat mozzarella sticks?"

"I'd call bullshit," Levi said, half a grin on his face. "The first morning I was with you, you had cream cheese on a bagel, and that night you had a glass of milk."

Erwin just laughed. Eventually, though, he asked, "Were you here often?"

"Just for the past few birthdays," Levi said, a wistful look in his eyes. "Anytime Farlan, Isabel or me had a birthday, we came here."

"What happened to them?" Erwin kept his tone careful, though it seemed to be to no avail, as Levi replied with his usual, "Don't wanna talk about it."

At that moment, a murmur rose from the other patrons, and both Levi and Erwin looked up. Near the front of the dining area, a brunette boy with a guitar took a seat on a little stool behind a microphone. 

"Oh, great." Levi's voice was somewhere between a sigh and a groan. "Dinner and a show. Forgot they do open-mic night on Wednesdays..."

Surprisingly, though, the kid wasn't half bad, brilliant sea-green eyes darting around a bit nervously, though his voice remained steady, his rhythm even. Those eyes, though, beautiful as they were, had a tendency to fall upon Levi, and Erwin gave the kid a stern look. There was a flinch, a split-second falter to the beat, and Levi gave a low chuckle.

"He was making eyes at you," was all Erwin said.

"He's not my type anyway," Levi replied, still sounding amused. "Never knew you were the jealous type, Erwin."

The blonde offered no reply but a sly grin.

"So let's talk about you," Levi said, resting both elbows on the table and leaning forward onto the table. "That first night, you were gonna drink wine. But you said that you used to be an alcoholic. Would that really have been okay?"

"I have good self-control," Erwin said, though he still looked a bit ashamed.

"Lucky you."

The silence between them was filled by the strumming of a guitar, the words of a smooth voice, and soon Erwin asked, "What's your last name, Levi? You never told me."

"It's Ackerman."

"Levi Ackerman." Somehow, Erwin decided, it sounded right. 

"Yep," was all the little brunette said, tossing the waitress a glance as she placed their drinks and appetizer on the table, soon darting off again, flitting around from table to table like a crazed hummingbird. 

"Why didn't you tell me at first?" Erwin asked next. "I was expecting Bundy or Gacy..."

Levi afforded himself a smile at that, though it quickly faded, and he took a sip of his drink. "Where I come from, it's just as bad."

"Explain."

"My father -- I always assumed he was my father, anyway -- had sort of a bad reputation."

"A reputation as what?" Erwin asked.

"A throatslitter." Levi didn't seem to be too bothered by admitting that, grabbing at one of the mozzarella sticks from the basket in the center of the table. 

"Oh." Erwin cleared his throat. "I'm sorry."

Levi shrugged. "It kept the other kids from bullying me about my size, at least."

The blonde smiled a bit in spite of himself, picking up a mozzarella stick of his own and nibbling the end. "Where is he now? Your father, I mean."

"Don't know," the little brunette said, "don't care. I'm better off without him."

"Is that why you came here?" Erwin asked next, starting on another mozzarella stick. "To get away from him?"

"Yeah." There was that pained, wistful smile again, and Levi said, "I was on the streets for a few days before Farlan and Isabel took me in, and got me a job as a bartender, and then--"

The main course arrived then, the waitress smiling as she set the plates on the table, both steaming happily. 

Levi didn't continue, and there were no words for a while after that, just quiet chewing and soft guitar melodies and the gentle murmuring of the other customers.

"The pizza's good," Erwin eventually said, polishing off his last piece. "Different, but definitely good."

"Good to hear," Levi said, swiping the last bit of sauce from his plate, running his tongue over his finger, fully aware of the light flush it caused. "Ravioli's good, too."

Erwin just smiled.

"Tell me something, Erwin."

The blonde's ears pricked at that, and he asked, "What's that?"

"Does that time with Mike and Hanji count as a date?" Levi's eyes were dark as he spoke, half-lidded.

There was a soft chuckle and Erwin answered, "I don't think so."

"Oh." Levi pushed his plate away from himself, taking a sip of his drink before he asked, "You ready to go? I'm not in the mood for dessert."

Erwin was still in good humor when he asked, "Are you angry?"

"Meh." Levi shrugged, saying, "Just disappointed. And, honestly, I really just don't like dessert-y foods."

"I'm not really a fan of sweets, either," Erwin agreed, standing and offering his hand to Levi. A quick run to the podium to pay their pill, and the two were on the street again.

"It smelled nice in there," Levi said, smiling a bit. "It always does."

"Lilacs."

"They're pretty."

"Very."

Soon, their hands still entwined, they arrived at the front of Levi's building. The little brunette got the door open straightaway, though he lingered, saying, "Go home, Erwin. You have work in the morning."

"And you?" Erwin asked, unable to mask the concern in his voice.

"I'll be home before you leave."

Sparing a glance down at their entwined fingers, Erwin said, mostly to himself, "You'll be moving in with me officially."

"I know," was the little brunette's reply. His eyes were down now, too, focused on their hands. When had they gotten this close? "Will you let me?"

"You've got everything you wanted packed already," Erwin said, sounding amused. "How could I say no?"

There was a kiss after that, warm and soft and incredibly saccharine before, Levi finally pulled back, saying with a cheeky smile, "Why do you think I waited to ask?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, the (In Levi's mind, at least) fancy dinner! We also get to learning a bit more about our catty little angel's past, including his last name and why he didn't tell Erwin straightaway. Keep in mind that it's purely speculation on my part, though I tried to keep it relatively open-ended so as to not clash with whatever the series' canon presents us with later. 
> 
> Oh, also gnocchi! It's a soft pasta that can be made from all sorts of things, though the potato kind is my favorite. So there: The obligatory Potato Girl reference. I'm so very clever, ha ha :P More little cameos this round: Sasha, Connie and Eren, yes. I blame loveatfirstsight for the idea of Eren playing the guitar. It works :) 
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I can be found over here: Strangler-figg.tumblr.com


	12. Always Teasing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was definitely a relief seeing Levi. What Erwin had said -- The worries about the little brunette not coming back -- had been true. With the rent on his apartment now paid, Erwin couldn't help but worry that Levi would abandon him, block him out, deny his very existence. It was a huge relief, actually. Eruri, modern prostitution AU, NC-17 rating

The bed was cold. Erwin shivered, curling in on himself and sparing a quick glance at the alarm clock on his bedside table. Forty past five. The alarm would go off in twenty minutes.

It was odd to be awake so early, Erwin thought, rubbing at his eyes as he sat up in bed. It must have been the cold. Levi had been sharing his bed fora few days now, and he had adapted quickly. The chill and the emptiness of the bed were keeping him up. 

Of course, maybe it was the clatter in the kitchen keeping him up.

Though Erwin wasn't fond of it presence, there was a small handgun in the nightstand's top drawer, hidden under a mass of magazines. Moving as silently as he could, Erwin slid the drawer open, the gun held close to his side as he crept into the kitchen.

There was a figure there, stirring something in a large ceramic bowl, and the blonde gave a sigh of relief. 

That figure turned, steely eyes wide, asking, "You own a gun?"

"You can't be too careful," Erwin said, shrugging. "I don't want you handling it, okay?"

"I don't like guns," was the reply. "Guns cause unnecessary deaths, and I really don't like those, either."

"Neither do I." There was a pause, awkward, before Erwin said, "I'm going to get dressed."

"Bit early, isn't it?" Levi asked, returning to the bowl resting against his ribs. "The paper's not even here yet."

"Be that as it may," Erwin said, "there's no way I can go back to sleep now."

"Sorry." It only sounded half-sincere. "Did you sleep well, at least?"

"Hardly." Erwin gave a scoff-like chuckle. "It sounds strange, I'm sure, but I was lonely. It's hard to go back to sleeping alone when you usually have someone with you."

"S'pose so."

"On top of that," the blonde said, his tone softer, quieter, "I wasn't sure if you were coming back."

"You thought I was lying?" Levi didn't sound surprised nor offended, setting the bowl aside to pull a skillet from the rack above the island.

"I was really hoping you weren't."

"I don't have a reason to lie about coming back," Levi said next, the truth somehow creeping its way into his voice as he pulled a tub of butter from the refrigerator, dropping a dollop into the skillet and setting the fire beneath it. "I like it here."

"I know you do."

"So why did you pay my rent for me?" the little brunette asked, swirling the melting butter around in the skillet, coating the inner surface. 

"You needed your things," Erwin said, glancing at the sofa, where a duffle bag was currently sitting.

"Trying to be my sugar daddy, Erwin?" 

There was a tease in that tone, and the blonde shivered, though he gave no verbal response. 

Levi just chuckled, and Erwin took it as his cue to leave, slipping back into the bedroom and sliding the gun back into its place. Stepping over to the closet, he kicked off his pajama pants in favor of black suit and hunter green tie. 

It was definitely a relief seeing Levi. What Erwin had said -- The worries about the little brunette not coming back -- had been true. With the rent on his apartment now paid, Erwin couldn't help but worry that Levi would abandon him, block him out, deny his very existence. It was a huge relief, actually. 

Stepping through the living room and back into the kitchen, Erwin took a seat at the island, watching Levi cook. 

The little brunette seemed completely oblivious, humming and swaying his hips in time with the beat. The show was cut short, though, when Levi shut the fire off and slid what was now shown to be an omelet onto a plate, placing it before Erwin. Gabbing his own plate and a pair of forks, Levi sat down beside the older man, asking, "Omelet's okay?"

"Well, they smell wonderful," Erwin said, smiling as he bit into a piece of season egg and cheese. Naturally, it was delicious. "You're spoiling me, Levi."

"A bit," Levi allowed, giving a little smile of his own.

"I've never eaten this well for so long," Erwin said, a dreamy sort of grin on his face. "Dot always burned everything, and Petra was always too busy to cook."

"You never tried to cook for yourself?" Lei asked, one well-maintained brow arching in curiosity. 

"Oh, I have," Erwin said, chuckling a bit, "but I seemed to have inherited Dot's cooking ability."

"So that's why there were so many TV dinners in the freezer when I got here." Levi sounded amused by that.

"I probably ought to toss those out," Erwin said, glancing at the freezer door before taking another bite of his cheesy, fluffy omelet.

"Already did."

"Oh?" the blonde asked, his tone light. "When was that?"

"A few days ago," Levi replied, finishing off his omelet and pushing the empty plate aside. "Figured you didn't need 'em anymore."

Erwin just smiled.

"Want me to go grab the paper?" Levi asked, leaning in to rest his elbows on the island's counter.

"I'll get it on the way out."

The brunette was silent for a moment, eyes roving in boredom before he asked, "Wanna fuck? It's still early, y'know."

"Levi..."

"Ugh." That groan sounded particularly irritated, but Levi was willing to make a compromise, offering instead, "Can you jerk me off, then? It's the least you can do to pay me back for breakfast."

"I suppose it is," Erwin agreed, pushing his plate away. "But consider yourself warned: I've never done anything like this before, so I'm probably not going to be any good at it."

"You jerk off, don't you?"

"Obviously." Oddly enough, there was no shame in Erwin's voice, and Levi gave a little smirk in response. He was finally loosening up. 

"Just do what feels good to you." The brunette stood after that, making his way into the living room, standing beside the arm of the couch, waiting impatiently for Erwin to follow. 

The blonde was soon beside him, only to be pushed down, landing with his back in the corner of the sofa. There was a look of bewilderment on his face for a moment before the little brunette was straddling his hips, that lithe body pressed close.

"You really are tiny."

"Not the best time for making observations," was all Levi said, pulling his pajama shirt over his head, exposing his chest and the yellow, fading bruises decorating his skin. Soon, though, the little brunette took hold of Erwin's right hand, guiding it to the band of his pants, giving a pleased little shiver when that hand slipped beneath silky fabric. Leaning back to rest his arms against Erwin's spread thighs, Levi gave a tilt of his head. A challenge.

Summoning what little he had learned from personal experience and pornography, Erwin's hands moved to Levi's hips, working satiny fabric down until Levis cock sprung free, a gasp falling from soft lips. "You're a bit small here, aren't you?" Erwin asked, thumbing at the head, and the brunette glared. 

"Just get to work."

Erwin just shrugged, wrapping his hand around that prettily flushed cock, smirking a bit when his fingers overlapped. "Everything is about sex with you," he said, his tone calm, even. "I'm starting to think you're an addict."

"No such thing." Levi's voice was harsh, deeper than usual. "Addiction is an excuse for idiots without self-control."

"That's a bit harsh."

"Yeah, whatever." The little brunette was impatient, though, pushing his hips up against that hand, meeting sapphire eyes with his own lust-darkened graphite gaze. "Move your hand."

There was a small nod before Erwin did as he was told, his fist tightening, giving a firm jerk, and Levi gasped again.

"Not bad," the smaller man breathed, his back arching a bit. His ribs weren't terribly visible anymore. "Go a li'l faster."

Again, Erwin took care to follow Levi's instructions, working his wrist a bit quicker, loving the way the younger man responded. He was always gorgeous, but seeing him come undone was leaving Erwin breathless.

"Like what you see?" Levi's voice was soft, his eyes hooded and dark, seductive. 

"Of course I do."

There was a little smirk on Levi's face when he leaned in to cup Erwin's face, pulling him in for a kiss, nipping at dry lips, more playful than anything else.

Erwin, for his part, responded spectacularly, kissing back with unexpected fervor, his right hand speeding up, the left sliding along Levi's hip to grope at his ass, pulling him closer. 

"Take your cock out."

The order was a whisper against Erwin's lips, and almost immediately, he did as he was told, his belt quickly undone, his pants shoved down as far down as he could get them with Levi still perched in his lap.

In that first second of contact, there was a spark, golden, and Levi forced himself to pull away, hiding his face against Erwin's neck. There were words in his mouth, on his tongue, sweet words. They were far too saccharine to escape, and Levi locked them behind his teeth, though he did allow his hand to join Erwin's around their cocks, offering a rough counterpoint to the blonde's smooth rhythm.

"Slow down a bit." It was Erwin speaking now, his voice husky. "There's no need to rush. We have plenty of time."

To his own surprise, Levi did slow down, though his hips were still grinding against Erwin's provoking a soft hiss. "What's the matter, old man?" Levi could do nothing to keep the teasing lilt out of his voice. "'Fraid you'll cum too soon?"

"A little, yes," the blonde admitted, giving a breathy chuckle. "It's driving me crazy, being around you all the time."

"Oh?" A smirk, and Levi tightened his hand once more, drawing out a guttural moan from the other and a soft whimper from himself. "Why's that?"

"You're always teasing me," Erwin said, his breath coming harder now, the hand still on Levi's ass gripping tighter, his nails leaving little pink crescents in pale flesh. "Half the time, I don't even think you're aware of it."

"Oh, I'm always aware of it." Levi kept his voice low, leaning in to swipe his tongue along Erwin's lower lip, giving a sharp inhale when the blonde pulled him closer, kissing hard and deep.

That was all it took, and Levi gave a full-body shudder when he came, only pulling away when Erwin released him, asking, "Can you--"

"I can get the stain out, no problem," Levi said, smug and breathless all at one. There was a chuckle, though, when he realized, "You actually lasted longer than me this time."

"There's a first time for everything," was all Erwin said.

"Wanna see how much longer you can hold out?" 

There was a challenge in Levi's voice, and Erwin's only response was to smirk as the other pulled away to lay between his legs, lowering his pants a bit further before running that hot tongue along the underside of the blonde's cock. 

The second he was engulfed, though, that smirk vanished, and Erwin allowed his hands to tangle into the softness of Levi's hair. 

Pulling back a bit and nuzzling against the blonde's thigh, Levi asked, "Got too much longer to go?" 

"No."

And Levi was upon him again, his head bobbing to some unheard beat, pulling back to flick his tongue across the head, though the moment when the brunette glanced up, his cheek pressed to the older man's thigh, was the last, and Erwin kept his grip on that dark hair, holding the other firmly in place until he felt his body relax again.

"Do you have to do that?" Levi had never sounded so disgusted, rubbing his soiled cheek against the fabric of Erwin's pants, doing his best to clean himself without touching the mess itself.

"You look good in white," was all Erwin had to say for himself, giving a tired little grin.

"Yeah, yeah." And Levi stood, saying, "Take your clothes off. You need a fresh suit."

"In a moment." 

The little brunette rolled his eyes at that, though he didn't seemed wholly displeased. "You lasted pretty long," he said, sounding a bit impressed. "We finally get around to fucking, you'd better last at least that long."

Erwin just chuckled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It seems Erwin is becoming less of a stick in the mud now! His resistance is finally wearing down. That's definitely good, especially for Levi. I don't think I'd go so far as to call him addict, but (my interpretation of him anyway) definitely has a high sex drive...
> 
> Oh, and I don't think I mentioned this in the chapter the info was revealed, so I'll discuss it now: It's my headcanon that after Daddy Smith was killed, Pixis took little Erwin in, and until I'm presented with evidence to the contrary, I'm sticking with it. So in this fic, Pixis is (Or was, at least) of great influence of Erwin. As for how he died, I imagine it to be a death of the unglamorous variety: An STD from some loose woman or drinking himself to death, something along those lines :P I'm a terrible person, I know.
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I can be found over here: Strangler-figg.tumblr.com


	13. Not Exactly a Social Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rest of the week passed quickly, though there were no true events to be spoken of. There were no dates, no arguments, no encounters of particular interest, but oddly enough, Erwin was content. Erwin was more than content, to tell the truth. He was happy. The peace that had settled around them was broken, however, by the sound of a knock at the front door. Modern prostitute AU, Eruri, NC-17, though this chapter is safe for work

The rest of the week passed quickly, though there were no true events to be spoken of. There were no dates, no arguments, no encounters of particular interest, but oddly enough, Erwin was content.

Having Levi around was wonderful. The little brunette could be incredibly frustrating, yes, but the pros vastly outweighed the cons. The apartment was the cleanest it had been since before Petra had left, and the food was better than it had ever been. Honestly, the company alone was enough of a reason to keep Levi around, at least in Erwin's eyes. 

Erwin was more than content, to tell the truth. He was happy.

Levi was currently scrubbing away at the bathroom, though there wasn't much work to be done there, while Erwin himself sat on the sofa, still clad in his pajamas as he went over the bank's statements for the week. It wasn't a terrible job, really, managing the bank. It was a shared occupation with Nile, and with Mike as a personal assistant, it was nearly perfect. Wasn't it everyone's dream to work with their friends? And work Erwin did, though the last few weeks, he had been distracted, unproductive. His hormones were getting to him.

Going over statements wasn't a tough job, at least. Just making sure all the numbers added up. Erwin hated bringing work home, but it had to be done, as unfortunate as that was.

At least at home it went quicker. There were no patrons to deal with, no investors popping in, no Mike trying to chitchat his way ought of working, no Nile grumbling to himself.

Levi, though, was a distraction all his own, sauntering from room to room in nothing but the tight little boxer shorts he was so fond of, swaying his hips as he walked, fully aware of Erwin's eyes on him. 

That peace that had settled around them was soon broken, however, by the sound of a knock at the front door.

"Want me to get it?" 

"I want you to put some clothes on," was all Erwin said, his amusement clear as he stood, pulling his pajama shirt closed as he made his way to the door. His smile soon disappeared, though, and he stepped aside to clear the entryway as their guest stepped in. 

"I don't even get a greeting?" There was no offense in that tone; Just vague curiosity and amusement.

"Hello, Petra."

The little redhead smiled a bit, tired and strained. "Hello, Erwin."

"You look tired," was all the blonde said, watching as his ex-wife took a seat on the sofa. He soon joined her, eyes trained on her face.

"I'm still trying to find a place to stay," she said, smoothing the wrinkles from the pale pink fabric of her pencil skirt. "It's nearly impossible to find a good place for a decent price around here."

"I'm sorry." 

There was a tone of sarcasm to those words, and Petra raised one manicured brow in a mixture of surprise and confusion. "Oh?"

Erwin gave a soft chuckle then, rueful, and he said, "I suppose I'm not. But in all fairness, you were the one who left, not me."

"Who was it?" And Levi made his presence known, stepping into the living room in a stolen pair of pajamas, the shirt open, the pants barely clinging to his hips. He paused though, a faint glare forming when he said, "Petra."

A moment of confused quiet came after that, and the redhead asked, "Have we met?"

"No." It was cold. "I've heard of you, though. You're the one--"

"That's enough, Levi." Erwin's voice was colder. 

Incredulous, those coveted gunmetal eyes went wide. "You still love her, don't you?" Levi's voice was soft now, though there was no hurt in it. He seemed entirely unsurprised, silver eyes darting between the pair seated on the couch.

Naturally, Erwin hesitated to answer, though he knew that Levi's assessment was correct. He had done all he could to suppress it, but there was just something about Petra's warmth, her sweetness, that Erwin absolutely adored. As much as he wanted to deny it, Levi deserved the truth, and he gave his honest answer: "I do."

Though Levi gave no real response, a distressed sigh fell from Petra's lips. "Erwin..."

"It's idiotic, I know," he said, leaning back into the sofa. "These things can't be helped. It's not as if I could turn it off. Believe me, if I could, I would."

Another sigh, exasperated, this time from Levi, and he headed to the kitchen. "I'm gonna do the dishes," was all he said.

"Levi--"

"I'm fine." It sounded like he meant it, and all fell silent for a moment. 

"So. How are the proceedings going?" Erwin asked in an attempt to dissipate the tension in the room, his tone strained, his eyes on Levi's back as he worked in the kitchen. "Is your lawyer still trying to get in your pants?"

"He is." Petra sounded annoyed by that, though it didn't really show on her face. Her face was too sweet for such a vulgar emotion. "But the proceedings themselves are going well. Our savings are being split down the middle, just as planned, as are most of our material possessions, save your father's things, and anything else we're personally attached to."

"That's good to hear," Erwin said, though there was no enthusiasm in his voice. It was draining, being around Petra again.

"So..." She sounded awkward. Strange. "Who is he?"

"'He?'"

"The man currently washing your dishes," Petra said, keeping her voice low, though the lightness of it was apparent despite her current discomfort. "Is he a friend? I don't think we've met..." She paused, leaning over a bit to watch as Levi moved about the kitchen. "I think I've seen him before, though."

"Oh?" Erwin did his best to keep the disinterest from his voice, though it didn't seem to be working.

"He was on TV a few weeks ago."

Well, now that was interesting.

"What for?" Erwin asked, finally straightening his back, unable to keep from sounding curious. 

"It was some sort of accident, I think," Petra said, her brow furrowing in thought. "I don't really remember the story, though..."

"An accident..."

"I think so." There was another pause. "He was the only survivor." Wetting her lips, looking nervous, Petra continued, "Being in a situation like that affects people in strange ways. He might be dangerous."

"Levi is not dangerous."

There was so much certainty in Erwin's voice, but still Petra seemed worried. "Just be careful around him, all right?" she implored, those big amber eyes shining. 

"I don't need to be careful around Levi," Erwin said, his tone firmer now. "There is nothing dangerous about him."

"You know him all that well?" Petra sounded skeptical now, her eyes on Levi again. 

"I do."

"Does..." That honey-colored gaze was moving back and forth, from Levi's back to Erwin's face, questioning. "Does he live with you?" she asked.

And here Erwin gave a pause of his own, gathering his voice to admit, "He does."

"I suppose he's desperate for money, then?" Petra asked next, tucking a lock of ginger hair behind her ear. "You're a bit stingy, so I'm assuming you'd have to be fairly close for you to take him in. Where did you meet?"

"I picked him up, actually."

That tone was all too familiar, and Petra sighed, "Erwin."

"What was I supposed to do?" It was a rhetorical question, really. "I couldn't leave him in the condition he was in. He would have died."

"Probably," Levi called from the other room, and Petra jumped a bit in surprise. "It's been a while since I got here, and I'm still not at a hundred percent."

"You're going to end up with another Hanji on your hands!" Petra whispered, her voice oddly harsh. "Didn't you learn your lesson last time?"

"You and Hanji are friends," Erwin said matter-of-factly, looking a bit smug.

"But they cost you a fortune!" 

"It was worth it," Erwin said, that confidence never once faltering. "Hanji is one of the closest friends I have. As is Levi, and I intend to keep it that way. Besides, Hanji is in the process of paying me back."

That last statement was ignored. "He's..." The hesitation in Petra's voice was unmistakable when she said, her voice soft, "He's more than a friend, isn't he?"

There was no hesitation in Erwin's voice: "He is."

"So what is he to you?" Petra asked, her tone softening even further, her hands fidgeting in her lap as she spoke. "Are the two of you together?" 

She was always so perceptive.

"We are."

In the other room, Erwin could see Levi's shoulders go stiff before the little brunette glanced over his shoulder, looking surprised and impressed and immensely pleased all at once. 

"For how long?" Again, Petra's voice was tense.

"We've been out twice so far," Erwin said, his eyes darting up to see Levi stalk over to the doorway, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe with an oddly smug look on his face. "It's been nearly two weeks now."

"Have you always felt this way?" the little redhead asked next, her hands stilling, though they were still clasped together. "Have you always preferred men over women?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure," Erwin said, lifting one hand to scratch at the back of his neck. "I now that I had a bit of a crush on Mike in college, but I figured it was just a phase... "

"To be fair," Levi said, that smirk still present, "Mike's a good-looking guy. Wouldn't blame you for looking at him that way."

"Did you cheat on me with any of the men you were attracted to?" Petra asked, her eyes a bit wide as they locked with Erwin's. 

"Never."

And she nodded. "Then I see no problem," was all she said. 

There was a relieved smile on Erwin's face at that, though it faded a bit when Petra pulled a sheaf of papers from the caramel-colored briefcase at her feet.

"This isn't a social call," she said, handing them over, a look of vague guilt on her face.

"What are you trying to take from me now?" Erwin had kept his voice low, though an exasperated sigh from Petra told him that he had, in fact, been heard. He paid it no mind. 

"Just see them returned within the week, all right?" Sounding tired, Petra stood. "I don't want to this made into a battle."

Erwin, for his part, said nothing, merely watching silently as Petra let herself out into the hall, only glancing down at the paperwork in his hands once the clicking of her heels in the hall faded away.

Sauntering over, though clearly cautious, Levi asked, "What is that?"

"More divorce papers," was the answer, said as Erwin tossed the sheaf onto the table. "She wants the apartment."

"You already knew that," Levi replied, taking a seat beside the blonde after swiping up the paperwork, glancing over it with a disinterested look. "Do you plan on letting her get away with it?"

"I don't plan to," Erwin's voice was strained, his eyes narrowed as he spoke, "It doesn't seem like I'll have much of a choice. Her lawyer is a pervert, but I've heard he's brilliant."

"Sorry."

"Don't be," the blonde said, meaning it, even as he forced a smile. "It's got nothing to do with you."

"Still," was all Levi had to say.

"She did have something interesting to say, at least."

"Oh?"

"She said that she'd seen you on television," Erwin said, blue eyes falling onto the little brunette. "Was it because of whatever happened to Farlan and Isabel?"

Levi gave no verbal reply, though the look of pain in his eyes was answer enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this go-round, we get to meet Petra. Lots of conflict there, though I didn't really want to make an antagonist of her. I adore Petra, and I'm really hoping I got her characterization right. Her lawyer is Auruo, yes. Very talented, but not garnering much respect. He's not really a pervert, though: That's just Erwin being spiteful.
> 
> Oh, and next chapter, we'll get around to Levi's past! Woot! 
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I can be found over here: Strangler-figg.tumblr.com


	14. The Past is Not Always in The Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "We are a couple now," Erwin said, his tone warm and certain and strangely comforting despite being so incredibly firm. "I think I deserve to know what's been bothering you." There was a pause after that, static in the air when he put his arm around Levi's shoulders, cautiously adding, "It's clearly bothering you, Levi. I think sharing it with somebody would help. It would be cathartic." Modern prostitution AU, Eruri, NC-17 rating overall, though this particular chapter is safe for work

"Why were you on TV, Levi?"

The little brunette tensed immediately, his eyes giving the impression of staring off into space, though the set of his shoulders, of his jawline, made it obvious that he was fully aware of what was going on. "I don't wanna talk about it," was all he said, his voice tight and strained, even more defensive than he usually was.

"We are a couple now," Erwin said, his tone warm and certain and strangely comforting despite being so incredibly firm. "I think I deserve to know what's been bothering you." There was a pause after that, static in the air when he put his arm around Levi's shoulders, cautiously adding, "It's clearly bothering you, Levi. I think sharing it with somebody would help. It would be cathartic."

"And why should I tell you?" 

It was a challenge, and Erwin gave a mirthless half-smile, simply saying, "I don't like seeing you upset."

Levi's reply was quiet, subdued in a way that seemed almost unfitting: "Really?"

"I don't like seeing people upset in general," Erwin said, "least of all the ones I care about."

There was a half-hearted smirk on the brunette's face when he said, "Didn't know you cared."

"It's obvious," Erwin said, though it came out as a chuckle. "I wouldn't have agreed to let you stay here if I didn't."

"Guess not..."

"And that's why I think you should talk about whatever it is that's bothering you at the moment."

"Nosy prick." It almost sounded like a term of endearment, and coming from someone like Levi, to whom sweet words were so incredibly foreign, it probably was.

Erwin just smiled. 

"Before I started whoring myself out," Levi began, his voice soft, hesitant, his hands clasped in his lap, knuckles white, elbows resting on his spread knees, "I was a bartender."

"You didn't go to college, then?" Erwin asked, unable to stop himself.

"I did," Levi replied, his tone sharp, annoyed at being interrupted. "But you can't really do much with a degree in child and family studies."

"You majored in family studies?" One brow was raised at that, astonishment clear in his voice, making Erwin's surprise utterly obvious. 

"Child and family studies," Levi said, though there was no irritation in his voice. He was appreciative of Erwin's reaction, to tell the truth. "I thought it'd be nice to help kids from situations like mine. Make the world a better place and shit."

Again, Erwin's response was a silent smile.

"Anyway," the little brunette continued, giving a dismissive wave of his hand, "after my shift was over, around midnight, Farlan and Isabel would sometimes come to pick me up, and we'd drink a little before we headed home." A pause, and Levi leaned back into the couch, sinking into it. "They'd drink, really. I was the designated driver most of the time." 

"Were you when it happened?" Erwin asked, unaffected by the dirty look he got in return for interrupting. 

"I was supposed to be." Tilting his head back once more, Levi allowed his eyes to slip closed, saying, "They came to pick me up, like they usually did. I was stupid, letting Isabel drive. Farlan was better at holding his liquor, but he was injured at the time -- Broke his wrist wrestling with her a few days before -- so, obviously he couldn't do it himself. And that stupid car was his most prized possession, so it's not as if he was willing to leave it behind and take a cab. Isabel was fine. Just a few drinks, she was fine. She and Farlan went first, and I followed." The brunette swallowed, his face pale. "But then there was an accident."

"That's how you lost them." There was no questioning in Erwin's tone, just a grim sort of certainty.

"That's how I lost them."

"That's why you don't drink, as well, isn't it?"

Levi just nodded.

"What happened, exactly?" Erwin asked, his voice soft, careful, his arm tightening around oddly frail-looking shoulders. Levi was always so strong; Seeing him like this was beyond disconcerting.

"Isabel came up to a yellow light, and she was a bit... Off, and she stopped hard. We..." Wetting his lips and looking a bit nauseas, Levi paused. "We collided. We were both going pretty fast, and there was another car in front of her, and they were pretty much sandwiched in. If what the hospital told me is true, both their necks snapped on impact."

"I'm sorry."

Levi gave a little nod at that, the tension on his face increasing, if that was even possible. "Isabel was dead when they pulled her out, but Farlan..."

"He survived?" Though he felt a little intrusive, Erwin pressed on, asking, "How?"

"Not sure," Levi replied, shrugging half-heartedly. "Even though we were both in the ICU, the nurses ended up rooming us together. They knew he wasn't gonna make it, I guess."

"Was he conscious?" 

"Yeah. He kept telling me how stupid we all were, and he was laughing about it. Y'know, that broken kinda laugh people do when they know something's wrong? He knew Isabel was dead. He didn't even have to ask about it; He just knew."

Erwin said nothing now, brows drawn, his lips pressed into a tight line, sympathetic.

"He said that what happened wasn't my fault," Levi continued, his eyes hazy and unfocused, though they were set in the direction of the shelf beside the television set. He had placed a little photo of Farlan and Isabel there, though at times its presence seemed to make him feel terribly lonely, rather than offering any real comfort. "It was on him, he said, driving to get me instead of just taking a cab like he usually would. He had just got that car, worked his ass off for it, too, though, so it's not like I can blame him for it. It was just a shitty situation."

"Sounds that way."

"Farlan didn't really last long after the accident," Levi said, his voice soft as he eyed the photograph on the other side of the room. "Can't say, exactly, but I think it was about an hour before he flatlined. Something about the way he was holding his head pinched some important nerve or something. He said he didn't care. He knew he was gonna die, but he didn't wanna go alone." There was a sigh then, heavy, shaky. "He was looking at me. I wanted him looking at me. I knew that he was hurt, and moving his neck would probably hurt him, but I wanted to see his eyes I wanted to commit everything about my best friend to memory before I lost him. I'd already lost that chance with Isabel."

And there were the tears. Not sobbing, but painful nonetheless, a sense of innate sorrow and a kind of utter helplessness staining Levi's face.

"It was my fault."

"Levi--"

"It was my fault," the brunette said again, a near-agonizing mixture of rage and sorrow clear on his face, though he somehow managed to hold himself together through it. "I was the one who wanted him looking at me." There was a sad smile then, and another shaky sigh. "I can still see the look in his eyes when they wheeled him out."

"You loved him." It wasn't a question.

"He was my brother," Levi said, no uncertainty in his voice at all. "Of course I loved him. I still do. Isabel, too. They were the only real family I had."

The silence that fell between them next was heavy and thick, and there was a longing to it, a sense of sorrow and weighty loss. It was almost painful, and the older man took it upon himself to break it. 

"How did you get all the bruises?" Erwin asked next, his voice still quiet and cautious, eyes trained on Levi's face. 

"The force of my car hitting theirs sent us into the four way we stopped in front of." Levi's eyes were cast off to the side, far from Erwin, lost in memory as he spoke. "I got hit there, too, from the side. Nearly rolled me. The driver of the other car was all right, but it took a while for me to get out of the hospital after that. Broke a few ribs, hairlined my ulna, popped my shoulder out of place... Not a good experience."

"I would imagine not," the blonde said, drawing Levi closer, somewhat relived when the brunette leaned into it. "You were still a mess when I found you."

Levi gave a chuckle at that, harsh and utterly humorless. "You're too nice," he said, flinging himself down to lay with his head in the blonde's lap. "Why did you even decide to help me?"

"I like helping people," Erwin said, tossing a light smile down at the brunette splayed out across his lap. 

"Do you do it to help people," Levi asked, "or do you do it just so you feel better about yourself?"

It was a good question, and Erwin took a moment to think it over before he answered. "I think it's a little of both, actually," he said, giving a bit of a chuckle. 

"At least you can admit it," Levi said, a slight smile on his face. 

"At least you don't seem so down anymore," was Erwin's retort. 

That wasn't necessarily true. Levi's state hadn't really improved since his arrival. He was as cold and prickly as he had been that first night. Besides the healing of his wounds, he hadn't changed. That was no good. Erwin cared too much to hold him back.

"That's how I became friends with Hanji," he said, doing his best to keep his voice neutral, almost cold. "They were down on their luck, and I did all I could to help them get back on their feet."

"Just to help them get on their feet...?" Levi sounded uneasy again, his eyes darting off to the side. He had picked up on that tone quite easily. "Is that what you're doing for me, too?"

"That's why I paid for the apartment." It was only a half-truth.

Though part of him sensed it wasn't entirely true, Levi asked, his voice soft, "What're you talking about, Erwin?"

There was a moment of hesitation before the blonde finally managed to speak the words he deemed necessary: "I want you to go home, Levi."

"Bullshit." Levi, for his part, did not hesitate. 

"Levi." Erwin's voice was firm, but there was a look of pain in his eyes. He didn't want this, that much was obvious. "I think it would be for the best if you were to go home. Get back to your own life. You can't stay here just playing housewife for the rest of your life, and you know it. Just go home."

The little brunette rolled his eyes at that, one hand darting up with lightning speed to grasp at Erwin's collar, pulling him down for a harsh, determined kiss. His voice was nothing short of entirely resolute when he said, "I am home. We are an official couple, and I'm living here with you, and there's no way I'm leaving."

"You would be better off on your own," was Erwin's response, though there was a painful strain to his voice, even showing on his face, in the crease of his brow and the darkening of his eyes. He was lying, and it was surprisingly obvious.

"I hate repeating myself," Levi said, the slight tone of offense melting off his voice, pooling under his back, "but I'll say it again: Bullshit."

"I've done everything I can for you, Levi." That much was true, even Levi himself would admit it. "But it doesn't seem to be making any difference. You're just as depressed and grumpy as you were when you got here."

"I'm not depressed," the brunette said, rolling his eyes in irritation. "And I warned you the night we met that I'm always grumpy."

Erwin gave a bit of a smile at that, there was no denying it. "I do remember you saying that..."

"I'm happy now," Levi said, his voice soft, oddly gentle as he spoke. "Really, I am. It's kinda weird, actually. I haven't been happy in a long time. It's a pretty big difference, I'd say. I was pretty fuckin' miserable when I first got here. You make me happy, Erwin. And you're happy, too, with me around. I can tell."

"I am happy," Erwin allowed, that vague smile still gracing his face. 

There was a sharp pang of jealousy in Levi, though, and, mustering his best not-pathetic tone, he asked, "Happier than you were with Petra?"

That vague smile gave way to something warmer, something real and beautiful and Levi shivered when Erwin's reply came: "I am."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this chapter was an emotional one, especially with the recent happenings in A Choice With No Regrets... But I think I covered everything here that I wanted to. I am hoping, though, that I didn't make Levi too emotional. That sometimes gets a bit hard for me :P Oh, and Erwin. A lot of internalized emotion and musings from Erwin this time around...
> 
> Next chapter, things are going to calm down a bit. More Mike and Hanji and the viewing of cheesy romance movies. I have yet to decide which one, though I'm leaning toward Pretty Woman solely for the fact that Julia Roberts plays a hooker
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I can be found over here: Strangler-figg.tumblr.com


	15. Pretty Woman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The flames Erwin had set were extinguished all too easily by the sound of Hanji's voice, grating as ever.
> 
> "What?" Levi's response was sharp, irritated.
> 
> "You two're really that comfortable, even with Mike and me here?" Hanji asked, waggling their eyebrows.
> 
> "If it's making you uncomfortable," Levi said next, his tone sharpening to razor-sharp, "then leave."
> 
> Modern prostitution AU, Eruri, NC-17 rating overall, though this particular chapter is safe for work

"Open up, Erwin!"

The screechy, high-pitched voice crashing through the front door was not unexpected. 

Giving a heavy sigh, Levi hauled himself to his feet, making his way over to the door with only a slight scowl on his face.

"Evenin', Levi!" 

Hanji's voice was as jovial as always, their smile wide and brilliant as they slid past the little brunette and into the apartment's foyer, a plastic bag rustling in their hands as they flipped the green plastic thongs from their feet. 

Mike soon followed, quiet as ever, giving Levi a slight smile as he stepped in.

"You two're late," Levi said, stepping off to the side, arms crossed as he leaned against the wall where the foyer joined the living room.

"I had to find the movies!" Hanji replied, eyebrows knitting in feigned distress. "This is a double-date, isn't it?"

"A double-date?" Levi looked completely confounded by that, one manicured brow lifting ever so slightly in confusion. "Are you two together?"

"What?" Mike, however, just sounded amused.

"No!" And Hanji, for her part, seemed to find it hysterical. "Of course not! We're just friends!"

"Thought so," was all Levi said, leading them into the living room, where Erwin was waiting, smiling from the couch as his friends made their way in. 

"I brought movies!" came Hanji's voice, bellowing in Levi's ear before they flopped down at the near end of the sofa, splaying along the length of it, feet coming to land in Erwin's lap.

Levi just shuddered. Feet were disgusting. He slipped by Mike with relative ease as he headed back into the living room, taking a seat on the floor at Erwin's feet, between the blonde's spread legs, giving a pleasant shiver when he felt a warm hand tangle into his hair.

Surprisingly, Hanji pulled back at that, curling into the corner of the couch and allowing Mike to take the center seat.

"You're a lot calmer than you were the last time," the taller blonde said, that lovely hazel gaze falling on Levi as he spoke.

"You were strangers last time," Levi replied.

Mike just smiled. 

"So what movies did you bring?" Erwin asked one everyone had settled in, that warm, serene smile gracing his face as he spoke.

"Lots of romcoms!" was the response, and Levi wrinkled his nose.

"Romantic comedies?" he asked, looking disgusted.

"Well, for you two, at least, this is a date," Hanji said, grinning widely. "So isn't something romantic appropriate?"

"Guess so," was the begrudged reply.

"Great!" Rustling through the bag in their lap, Hanji pulled a small collection of DVD cases out, reading off their names as they went along. "I've got Sleepless in Seattle and My Best Friend's Wedding... While You Were Sleeping... Miss Congeniality... And Pretty Woman."

Mike just groaned, sinking into the couch, arms splayed along the back.

"You can't stay a bachelor forever," Hanji said, triggering an even louder, more dramatic groan of disdain. "And it's not like watching sappy movies is gonna make you any less of a man, y'know."

"It'll melt my brain--"

"Isn't Julia Roberts a whore in Pretty Woman?"

Levi's voice came through the deep rumble of Mike's voice quite easily, and he gave an inward shiver in the wake of the blonde's responding glare.

"Yep!"

Tossing a glance up to Erwin, being met with a knowing smile, Levi said, "Let's watch that one, then."

"Yes, sir!" And Hanji was on their feet again, darting across the room to slide the now-uncased Pretty Woman DVD into the player built into the side of the television set.

Before the menu even appeared, Mike looked bored. "What're we doin' for dinner?" he asked, head leaned back against the back of the sofa, looking utterly disinterested.

"I already ordered sushi," Erwin said, smiling when one of Mike's tightly-shut eyes creaked open in response. "Does that sound all right?"

"Sounds better than the movie does," came the grumbled reply.

Said movie started soon after that, and the four of them fell silent, watching quietly, the movie interrupted only by occasional commentary.

"That's a big-ass penny..." Levi, of course.

Ten minutes later, Mike: "I'd fuck her."

"The blonde?" Hanji asked.

"Nah, the brunette. The blonde looks fake."

Erwin just gave the same knowing smile as before.

The sushi arrived a few minutes after that, the movie paused briefly as Hanji went to the door to pay, smiling widely at the sour-looking delivery girl. The table was soon stocked, chopsticks passed out, and the movie began playing again.

Half-an-hour in, and Mike seemed taken aback: "Oh, she's a brunette, too. No wonder she looked fake."

"I wanna go shopping," Hanji whined at the forty-five minute mark. "I wanna--"

"Can't blame 'em for not selling her anything," Levi interrupted, resting back into Erwin's lap. "I wouldn't sell her anything, either. She dresses like a whore."

Again, that shrewd grin was on Erwin's face, though Levi couldn't see it; All he felt was that warm hand sliding from his hair to the junction between neck and shoulder, and he shivered. "What does it matter how she dresses?"

"Would you want someone like that around?" was Levi's answer, smug, dark eyes gazing over his shoulder.

"What kind of question is that?" Erwin's voice was soft, the pair on the couch beside him unable to hear, though Mike had fallen asleep a good ten minutes before.

Another shiver raked its way of Levi's spine when Erwin's hand slid to rest against his throat, thumb stroking along his Adam's apple, those blue, blue eyes boring into him, setting fires as they traveled from his eyes to his lips, tantalizing.

"Really?"

Those flames were extinguished, though, the sound of Hanji's voice, grating as ever.

"What?" Levi's response was sharp, irritated.

"You two're really that comfortable, even with Mike and me here?" Hanji asked, waggling their eyebrows.

"If it's making you uncomfortable," Levi said next, his tone sharpening to razor-sharp, "then leave."

Hanji laughed at that, though they gave Mike an insistent poke in the ribs, saying, "We're leaving."

"Hmm?"

"We're leaving," Hanji repeated. "Get up."

"How come?"

"No reason." And Hanji stood, offering Mike a hand up.

"You can take the rest of the sushi," Erwin said, an apologetic smile on his face as Mike stood, still sleepy-eyed.

There was no verbal response from the taller blonde, just a slightly smug smirk before grabbed at their dinner's leftovers and followed Hanji to the foyer. Shoes were put on and Hanji's voice called, "I'm locking the door!"

"Thank you!" Erwin called back, falling silent afterwards to listen as the front door clicked shut.

"Well, that was surprisingly easy..."

The blonde just chuckled.

Lifting his arms to rest his elbows on Erwin's spread knees, Levi sunk further into the other's lap, his eyes focused on the screen as he asked, "They gonna fuck on the piano?"

"I think so, yes."

"I wanna fuck on a piano," Levi said next, a dreamy tone sneaking into his voice.

"I don't own a piano," was all Erwin said, though there was something utterly arousing about that tone.

"On the couch then?" Levi asked, voice eyes, hooded eyes glancing over his shoulder. "This is technically our third date, y'know." One corner of his lips quirked up when he added, "And I've seen the way you've been looking at me lately."

"Have you now?" It wasn't really a question at all.

"Yeah." And then, at long last, Levi made his move, standing just long enough to lower himself again, straddling Erwin's hips. "How badly do you want me?"

"You have to ask?" 

Though the smirk stayed on his face, Levi gave a shudder when strong hands drifted to his ass, pulling him close and firmly holding him there.

"You're sure you're ready for this?" Erwin asked, though the darkness in his eyes made it apparent that he already knew the answer.

"Yeah." 

There was a kiss then, warm and passionate and surprisingly rough, and Levi moaned into it, lifting his hands to Erwin's chest to pull away, demanding, "Strip."

Erwin did as he was told, his eyes on the little brunette all the while, taking in all that pale, flawless skin as it was exposed, his own body soon exposed, Levi's mouth on his as they collapsed onto the couch again. 

"Tell me something, Erwin." Levi's voice was little more than a whisper now, quiet and husky.

"What is it?"

"Are you finally gonna fuck me now?"

Erwin's response was a smirk and kiss, rough and overflowing with the built-up desires of the last few weeks.

And Levi gave a smirk of his own, breathless. "I'll take that as a yes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter turned out to be mainly filler. Sorry about that. Unfortunately, if I'd have kept the next sequence, it would have been hugely long :P 
> 
> What's there to cover... I imagine Hanji as the sort to wander around in shorts and Hawaiian-print shirts and flipflops. There're also hints of Mike x Levi going on in the background, though there's nothing to it, to tell the truth, though I can imagine Levi having at least a physical interest in someone like Mike. Last point to cover: The sour-looking delivery girl for the sushi restaurant is Mikasa, though her cameo is really, really, incredibly brief. Oh, well.
> 
> Next chapter: Smut. Nothing but a long-awaited smut scene.
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I can be found over here: Strangler-figg.tumblr.com


	16. At Long Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The soft, warm kisses that Erwin was currently peppering along the exposed skin of Levi's throat were too good to resist, at once soothing and electrifying, and the brunette's resolve broke almost immediately. Modern prostitution AU, Eruri, NC-17 rating overall, and especially for this chapter. Long-awaited smut ahead!

A breath, a heartbeat, and Levi gave in.

The soft, warm kisses that Erwin was currently peppering along the exposed skin of his throat were too good to resist, at once soothing and electrifying, and his resolve broke almost immediately.

"Lube?" Erwin's voice was strained, and Levi gave a little inward chuckle as he reached over to grab his jeans from where they lay on the coffee table, retrieving a little tube from the pocket and handing it over without further ado.

"You came prepared?"

"Figure'd it'd be today," was all Levi said, smug as the blonde popped the tube open.

Pineapple-scented. Of course.

"I'll warn you now," Erwin said, his voice oddly even, "I have a basic idea of how this works, but I don't really--"

"Have much experience with other men, I know," Levi said, though he sounded a bit annoyed. "Not a big deal. I can walk you through it."

An earnest nod, and Erwin spread a bit of the strangely yellowish lube onto his fingers, his gaze lifting to watch as Levi climbed off of him and onto his hands and knees. 

That cute, perky ass in the air, his chest pressed down against the sofa cushions, Levi took a deep breath to calm himself, though that calm was broken when he shivered at the press of a warm, lube-slicked finger against at his entrance. 

Strangely, wonderfully, Erwin seemed to know exactly what he was doing, the pad of his index finger working insistently against that little ring of muscle, and the little brunette gave a strangled whine in response once the tip slipped inside. 

The first finger was a bit more than Levi was used to starting with, thick, though the skin was soft, twisting and slipping and persuading itself deep into him. 

"You're good at this." Levi just barely managed to get the words past his lips, his breath heavy, lingering in the air.

"Oh?" Adding a second finger and smiling just slightly at the brunette's responding gasp, Erwin asked, "Is that right?"

"You're a natural." The fingers inside him twisted again, stretching him open, and Levi's voice fell away, dissolving into a strained moan.

"That's good to know," Erwin said, smiling. To be honest, he just happened to watch far more porn than was healthy. He gave a smug chuckle as he lowered his head to press a kiss to the soft curve of Levi's ass.

The only response he got was a pleased hum.

Taking that as a cue to go on, Erwin did just that, the third finger pushing in, and Levi felt his mouth go dry, eyes squeezing shut as he hid his face against the couch cushions. 

"It feels that good?"

"Yeah." Levi's voice was soft, shaky, muffled by the fabric of the couch. "Your cock'll feel better, though."

A shiver raced its way up Erwin's spine at that, all-consuming, and he slid his fingers back, replacing the touch with his tongue, reveling in the full-body shudder he was given in return. "I'm guessing this feels pretty good, too."

"It's disgusting," was Levi's reply, his voice thick, heavy with poorly-concealed lust. Hell, he could barely breathe, and that only spurred Erwin on, and the little brunette gave out a sharp gasp when the blonde's tongue penetrated.

"Surprised you're this clean..."

"Not lettin' you fuck me if I'm not clean," was all Levi said, his tone syrupy. 

"You really did anticipate this." Erwin could do nothing to keep the chuckle out of his voice, leaning in to nip at that tight little pucker, holding Levi's hips still when they jerked up against him. "Have to admit, there's something very sexy about that..."

"If I'm so sexy--" Levi's voice was husky, his breathing harsh, his eyes dark and half-lidded as he spoke, "--Fuck me."

"I plan to." There was another lap after that, and Erwin smirked when the little brunette shivered, pale hips pressing back against the blonde's mouth, insistent. "Are you ready?"

Levi's reply was accompanied by a smirk: "Your cock's not that big, y'know."

There was a challenge in that tone, and Erwin rose to it, penetrating in a single harsh thrust.

The strangled moan that ripped itself from Levi's throat wasn't exactly one of pleasure. "Prick..."

That was when the guilt kicked in. "Are you hurt?" Erwin asked, his thumbs working soothing circles against the flesh of the brunette's hips, a half-assed apology.

"Just gimme a minute," Levi said, shudders visibly tearing up and down his spine. "Didn't know you'd be so rough..."

"Do you want me to ease up?" Erwin inquired, his right hand drifting down to rest pacifyingly against the small of the little brunette's back.

"No, just..." Breathing deep, Levi managed to force out the rest of his words: "Just gimme a sec to adjust, all right?"

"All right."

A few heartbeats passed, quiet, and Erwin leaned in to pepper kisses along Levi's shoulder blades, soothing and soft. With a great deal of satisfaction, the blonde noted that the bruises that had once decorated that silken skin were gone now. But there were still occasional spasms working their way through the little brunette's muscles, though he seemed considerably calmer as the moments passed, his breathing stabilizing, and he said, "Pull out. I wanna turn over. Wanna see your face."

"Understood." And Erwin did as he was told, pulling out despite a soft whine from Levi, waiting patiently for the little brunette to settle, those milky thighs coming to rest around his hips as those dark, dark eyes met his.

"Put it back in." It was nothing short of a demand.

Nodding in acknowledgement, Erwin took hold of his cock, slowly guiding it into the little brunette's trembling hole, watching with a strong sense of pride when Levi arched into it, those gorgeous gunmetal eyes squeezed shut as he was penetrated, jaw slack, hands fisted into the fabric of the couch. Absolutely beautiful.

"Move." Another order.

"Pace?" Erwin asked, his hands coming to rest against the flushed, silken flesh of the brunette's inner thighs, keeping him spread wide, making it just the slightest bit easier to maintain his control.

"Whatever feels good for you," Levi said, eyes dark and half-lidded and utterly welcoming. "I'm up for anything."

Another nod, this one barely visible, and Erwin leaned in to catch those pink, wet lips with his own, fingers pressing bruises into milky thighs, smirking a bit when Levi whimpered into his mouth, needy and wanton and far too arousing. It was when those pale, pretty hands lifted to scrape down his back that Erwin pulled his hips back, the first thrust rough, and Levi gave a full-blown yelp, tossing his head back, nails raking bloody paths down the blonde's back.

Erwin gave a growl at that, the sound tearing its way out of his throat, sending a cavalcade of shivers down Levi's spine. 

"Never heard you make a sound like that before," the little brunette said, his voice soft, trembling. "You sound like an animal."

"Is that a bad thing?" 

Erwin's voice was harsh, rugged, and Levi shivered again, saying, "Not at all." 

"Good." There was another thrust after that, and Erwin lowered his focus to press his lips to the little brunette's neck, reveling in the soft whimpers it elicited, that sound intensifying when he bit down on soft flesh, Levi's fingers moving to tangle in his hair, pulling just enough to be painful, just enough to draw Erwin's mouth up to his. 

At long last, Erwin allowed himself to pick up speed, strong hips pushing forward and into that warm, tiny body, loving the way Levi responded to every touch, every kiss, every nip, the way those fucking claws tore into his back, the sharp arch of the other's back. It was better than he had ever imagined. 

Beneath him, Levi had this look of utter, absolute submission on his face, his head turned to one side, his throat exposed, and Erwin took full advantage straightaway, his mouth pressed to the sunken hollow between the brunette's collarbones, sucking hard, pulling back to nuzzle against the lovely violet bruise left behind, the lovely contrast of deep, crimson-toned amethyst on creamy skin. 

Levi seemed to grow impatient over that, though, demanding, "You can do better than that."

His tone was forcibly changed when a harsh bite was given to the joining between neck and shoulder, and the little brunette did his best to push into it, his right hand still in Erwin's hair, urging him on as he supported himself on his left arm. 

"I'm not a doll, y'know," Levi said, his breath rustling through golden hair, coming in sharp huffs. "Anything you can dish out, I can take."

"You sure about that?"

Ugh, that tone was positively sinful, and--

Another yelp was forced past flushed lips when the grip of Erwin's teeth tightened, the hands on his thighs digging crescents into soft flesh. There were going to be bruises later. 

"'M gettin' close..."

It was just a whisper, but Erwin heard it loud and clear, his hips stilling, just savoring the incredible heat around him, his mouth moving to sweep along Levi's sternum, nipping somewhere near that icy heart. 

"Why'd you stop?" Levi didn't sound pleased.

"You're beautiful," was all Erwin said, not bothering with looking up, letting his lips brush over the brunette's chest as he spoke. "Absolutely beautiful."

The flush that overtook Levi's face at that was priceless, though it soon faded, and he said, "You're a sap, y'know that?"

Erwin gave a chuckle in response. "I know." A soft kiss was pressed to Levi's sternum, warm and oddly gentle. "But I don't really think you mind."

"I don't."

"Good." And Erwin gave another particularly rough thrust, pressing in as deeply as he could manage, a smirk crossing his face when Levi arched against him, rocking his hips to stroke his cock along the blonde's abdomen. 

When those nails came to cross the ones already lining Erwin's back, though, the blonde pulled away, pinning Levi's wrists to the couch, and the little brunette seemed to actually enjoy it, arching higher, pressing closer, the soft moans catching in his throat finally forcing their way out into the open.

The edge was drawing nearer for both of them, that much was obvious.

"Kiss me?"

Who was Erwin to refuse?

There was an innate passion in that kiss, something dark, wild, something far too long locked away, and the blonde slid his hands to the small of Levi's back, holding him close as those last precious moments burned themselves into his memory. 

Oh, and now Levi had both hands around his own cock, desperately working himself off, his hips rolling against Erwin's all the while, pressing up into their kiss, arched up on his shoulders. A rough nip to his lower lip, though, and it was over. A soft gasp spilled past Levi's lips when he came, trembling, panting hard, half-lidded eyes on Erwin, that gaze never once straying, even when he felt the strange, wonderful warmth of the other releasing inside him.

There was something off, though. Levi seemed... Worried, somehow. Fixated. 

There wasn't enough breath left in Erwin to inquire about it, and, hesitant though he was, he pulled out. Levi's expression didn't change, save a momentary wince. The smile on Erwin's own face, though, was far too warm. 

A moment of stillness passed, until Levi turned his head. "Didn't think you'd be that rough," he said, his voice harsh, ragged.

"You didn't seem to mind," was Erwin's only defense.

"I like it that way," Levi said, shifting around in an attempt to get comfortable.

"That's good then," the blonde replied, nuzzling against a soft thigh as he spoke. "So do I."

That silence fell again, until Levi decided to break it. "This movie is bullshit," he said, turning towards the TV set as he reached to grab his white t-shirt from the floor and proceeded to wipe himself down with it, scrubbing at the sticky mess coating his stomach. 

"What makes you say that?" Erwin's voice was getting heavy now, tired, watching as Levi propped up on his elbows, doing his best to clean himself without getting up.

"She's a whore," the little brunette said, running the fabric of his shirt over his stretched, quivering entrance, giving a shiver when Erwin leaned in to swipe his tongue over the pucker. "Whore's don't get happy endings." There was a tremble in his voice, and the soft sweeps of Erwin's tongue over sensitized skin wasn't exactly helping him to calm down. "We get tossed to the side once a client's done with us. It never--" He cut himself off with a quiet hiss, squirming as the blonde's tongue worked against him, inside him. "Enough, Erwin."

The finality in that tone was enough to get the blonde to back off, albeit reluctantly. "Do you want a happy ending?" 

Levi's answer was soft and surprisingly honest: "I don't think I'm cut out for a happy ending."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there you have it! Actual sex, finally! You know, I think a condom would've been a good thing to include, but I have my reasons: Levi has said that he's clean a few times, and I see Erwin as the sort to trust others, particularly once they've proven themselves worthy. Oh, and the pineapple-flavored lube. Yeah. Levi's become a pineapple fan somehow... A bit strange, but meh. 
> 
> Next chapter: Erwin returns to work, and Mike and Nile are definitely suspicious of what's going on with him and Levi. Lucky for them, Erwin just might be the sort to kiss and tell
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I can be found over here: Strangler-figg.tumblr.com


	17. Different is Good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ride to work the next morning was a blur, and Erwin barely had time to consider the quick breakfast he shared with Mike or even the first hour of the workday. He was too wrapped up in thoughts of gunmetal glares and icy-pale skin to think of much else. Apparently the fuzz over his mind was showing. Modern prostitution AU, Eruri, NC-17 rating overall, though this chapter is probably just a strong M for blowjobs, handjobs and an attempt at sixty-nine-ing...

"Erwin, wake up."

"Hnn."

"Wake up." It was more insistent this time. 

"It's too early," was all Erwin had to say.

"The alarm went off already," Levi said, though he didn't sound at all annoyed. There was something dark, something soft and warm and velvety about his voice...

And that was what caused Erwin to crack open his eyes, stealing a glance at the alarm clock on the nightstand. Twenty minutes late. He still had plenty of time to get ready; Levi knew that. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice still heavy with sleep. "Did something happen?"

"No. I'm just horny."

At long last, those lovely blue eyes were fully open, and Erwin, rather incredulously, asked, "Aren't you sore?"

"Yeah, a little." There was a grin on Levi's face nonetheless. "Just suck me off, okay?"

"Don't wanna move just yet."

Rolling his eyes, Levi gave his instructions: "Just roll onto your back."

Still a bit leery, Erwin did as he was told, watching silently as the little brunette straddled his chest, his hands winding up the backs of Levi's thighs, soft skin warming beneath his touch. 

Slowly, carefully, Levi sidled up so that his hard, beautifully flushed cock slid against Erwin's smirking lips.

The blonde's response was immediate, all but tearing a shuddering gasp from Levi's lips.

To engulf the other straightaway was a bit risky, Erwin had to admit, but oh, the response was worth it. Already Levi was panting, pale hands tangled into golden hair, working his hips against Erwin's mouth, though those pretty gunmetal eyes were just barely managing to stay locked with sapphire blue.

Pulling back to stroke his tongue along the underside of Levi's cock, Erwin said a bit off-handedly, "You were already hard."

"Tried to get off myself," the little brunette said, his voice tight as he reached behind his back to palm at Erwin's cock through dark pajama pants. "Didn't really work. Thinking 'bout you the whole time, but you were lying there, and I couldn't just look at you, y'know?"

"I see." Another lick, this time to the slit, and the brunette shivered. "You can't get off just thinking about me?"

"Not with you lying there," Levi said, his hand working a bit faster against Erwin's cock, desperately trying to match the blonde's pace. "When you're at work, it's not really a problem."

"Turn over."

That was sudden. "What do you mean?" Levi asked, one brow raised in confusion.

"I want to try sixty-nine-ing," Erwin said, his hands sliding up to Levi's ass, the little brunette squirming in his grasp. "There's a significant height difference, but I really just need your hands on me for now. I get the feeling you're actually going to come first this time."

Giving a sharp nod, Levi followed those instructions, turning so that his chest was pressed to Erwin's stomach, his ass in the blonde's face, giving a sharp, startled gasp when those strong hands found his hips, hauling him back, that hot tongue working against his still oversensitive entrance. He couldn't let that go without a response of his own, and he slid the blonde's pajama pants down to mid-thigh, hands wrapping around the base of that thick cock before his mouth encased what his hands couldn't cover.

Somehow, though there was no verbal communication between them, the two moved in tandem, hands and tongues and, on Levi's part at least, teeth moving as one, until Erwin let his tongue penetrate that little ring of muscle and Levi gave a harsh moan, hips jerking when he came, pushing back against the blonde's mouth. 

Pressing a kiss to the soft curve of Levi's ass, Erwin gave a quiet hiss when the hands around the base of his cock tightened. 

"You got much longer to go?" Levi asked, his voice rough, worn. 

"No."

"Good."

And Levi doubled his efforts, sliding down along a strong chest, mouth and tongue working against the hot, veined flesh of Erwin's cock, stroking and sucking and occasionally nipping as he worked. 

"You're good at this."

"Yeah, you said that already," was Levi's response, smug, and a drag of his tongue along the slit of Erwin's cock was enough to end it, and he sneered. "What's with you and getting it on my face?"

"I don't do it on purpose," was the half-chuckled answer. 

"Sure you don't." That said, Levi pulled himself off the blonde's chest and grabbing a suit from on top of the dresser, saying, "Figured you'd need this. Mike is bringing breakfast to work. Better get dressed now, or you'll be late." 

"You were planning this, weren't you?"

"Guilty." Stepping into the master bath, the sound of running water could be heard before Levi returned, kneeling on the edge of the bed to drag a wet cloth over the blonde's abdomen. "Now get dressed."

And Erwin did, and within five minutes, he was at the front door, accepting a soft goodbye kiss from Levi, he was out the door and down the elevator and in a cab. The ride was a blur, and he barely had time to consider the quick breakfast shared with Mike or even the first hour of the workday. He was too wrapped up in thoughts of gunmetal glares and icy-pale skin to think of much else. 

Apparently the fuzz over his mind was showing.

"You got the dreamy look again."

Erwin gave no response but a soft, far too warm smile when Mike spoke.

Nile, for his part, just looked suspicious, not that that was a surprise. 

Slapping a little stack of papers onto the shorter blonde's desk, Mike gave his final assessment of the situation: "Someone got lucky."

"Someone's got work to do," Nile said, ever the wet blanket, though Erwin shut him down almost immediately.

"I'll get it done," the blonde said, giving a soft chuckle. "I always do."

"You've still gotta tell us how it went down," Mike said next, giving a chuckle of his own when Erwin's shoulders stiffened.

"What do I have to tell you, exactly?" Erwin sounded a bit hesitant. Odd.

"How did--"

Thank heaven for cell phones, and their annoying ringtones.

"I have to take this." Erwin didn't even bother looking at the screen before answering. "Hello?"

"We need to talk, Erwin."

"Shit." And he hung up.

Though Nile seemed annoyed, Mike seemed amused, the chuckle rising when Erwin shut his cellphone off altogether. 

"You sure that's a good idea?" the room's lone brunette asked, eyeing the phone where it sat on the desk with its dismal black screen. "You'll just piss her off."

"I'm at work," was Erwin's response, his tone a bit stiff, stuffy as he took the first sheet from the ream of papers on his desk. "She knows perfectly well that I can't take calls at work."

"Excuses, excuses." It was Mike's voice, that playful lilt all too familiar.

"I don't make calls at work," Erwin said, though the mischievousness in the other blonde's voice was somehow infectious, bring a smile to his face. "Only at lunch. You know that."

"How's the divorce coming along anyway?" Nile asked.

And the smile was gone from Erwin's face. "We've been over this already," was all he said.

"Have you made any progress, at least?" Oddly enough, Nile actually sounded concerned.

"Not at all," Erwin said, glaring down at his paperwork. "Her lawyer's doing remarkably well. It'll be a miracle if I have anything left after everything's finalized."

Nile, for once, said nothing.

"How're things with Levi going, then?" The warmth in Mike's tone was soothing somehow. It always was. "You two seemed pretty happy when Hanji and I left..."

"I'm sorry about that," Erwin said, meaning it, despite the fact that it was said purely as a change of subject. "About sending you away."

"Not a big deal," Mike replied, that big, goofy smile still on his face. "We just settled at my place and watched a few movies."

"Die Hard?"

"Those're Hanji's favorites." But Erwin's distraction only lasted a moment, and Mike soon asked, "Did you even manage to finish that hooker movie?"

"Hooker movie?" Of course, Nile was ignored, much to his irritation.

"Not really..."

"Not really?" The expression on Mike's face was somewhere between confusion and amusement. "What's that mean?"

"It means we got distracted," was all Erwin said, though the smug smirk on his face gave away any secret he was trying to keep.

"You mean you finally got in is pants." 

It wasn't even a question, and Erwin allowed himself a soft chuckle in response. 

"I'll take that as a yes."

"You sure that's a good idea?" Nile asked, pretending to be engrossed in his own work, though his tone suggested otherwise. "It hasn't even been two weeks since you found him, and already you're sleeping with him?"

"The world has changed," Erwin said, his voice wistful, somehow far-away. "It's not like it was when we were growing up."

"True that," Mike agreed, offering a pseudo-sage nod, his tone warming the smile that had faded a bit on the shorter blonde's face. 

True it was, Erwin thought to himself, though it was still a bit uncomfortable. He adored Levi, there was no denying that, but they were moving at incredible speed. Had it really only been two weeks? It felt longer. It felt like years. Levi had become nothing less than a force of nature in Erwin's life: The fierce storm and the blinding lightning, but also the golden sunlight and the warm, gentle breeze. 

"Really, though..." Of course it was Nile whose voice broke through the sugar-crystal walls of Erwin's reverie. "Levi doesn't seem like your type."

"Oh?" Erwin himself barely seemed interested, his eyes on his phone as he turned it back on, ignoring the three missed call notifications on the home screen. 

"He's the opposite of Petra, from what we've heard," the brunette clarified, still sounding ill at ease. 

Giving himself another moment to consider that, Erwin eventually said, "Petra didn't work out. I'm hoping that, as different as Levi is, he will." 

There was nothing he wanted more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pulling a proper sixty-nine is probably quite difficult when there's such a huge height difference, but I decided the babies may as well try it. So they did. Seemed to work out pretty well, too. In addition to probably-unnecessary semi-smut, this chapter has more Mike and Nile, though I am still a bit unsure of my portrayal of Nile...
> 
> Anyway! Next chapter: Nile. I'm sure you all know what I mean ;) 
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I can be found over here: Strangler-figg.tumblr.com


	18. A Dreadful Spark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "How's Mary been?" Erwin asked, closing the door, and following the brunette into the living room.
> 
> "Fine. She's been--" And Nile stopped dead in his tracks. There was a spark in his eyes, surprise, and something darker. "Levi."
> 
> Levi's tone was even darker, though there was a sort of honey-rich seduction to it: "Nile."
> 
> Modern prostitution AU, Eruri, NC-17 rating overall, though this particular chapter is safe for work. Bits of slut-shaming, infidelity and minor violence ahead, though, so be warned.

The entire day was a wasted effort. Erwin had barely managed to get any of his work done, muddling his way through the majority of it, pretending to work while his thoughts wandered hither and thither. The lustful gaze Levi had given him since he got home and the constant phone calls from Petra hadn't really helped.

Even now, Petra's voice was ringing in his ear. That soft, gentle lilt was downright unpleasant coming through the phone, shifting into some crackling ghost of a voice. "Erwin, you know I don't want to drag this out any longer than I absolutely have to," she was saying, the softness of her tone only serving to flare up the anger burning in the pit of her ex-husband's stomach. "It's not that hard to find a new place, and--"

"If you want me out," Erwin said, his voice strong and sudden, "you'll have to evict me first." That said, he hung up, tossing the phone onto the island, undisturbed by the sharp rapping sound the plastic made against the granite countertop. 

"Y'sure that's a good idea?" Levi asked, eyes on Erwin as the blonde sat beside him on the couch, instinctively curling into the blonde's side. "Isn't that just gonna make it worse?"

"I don't really care either way," was the reply, and Erwin lifted one arm to drape it about Levi's shoulders, nuzzling his cheek against silken black locks. "She's going to take everything anyway. It doesn't really make any difference."

"Making her mad's not gonna make any difference, either," was all Levi had to say. 

"No, I suppose not." It came out as a weary sigh. 

The tension was too much. The day had been shit, but the feel of Levi nuzzling against his jawline was nice. It didn't put him at ease completely, but it certainly helped.

"You need to relax," that sultry little voice said against his ear, warm and soft and oddly gentle. Another nuzzle to the neck was all it took.

At last, Erwin allowed himself to relax, the utter warmth of Levi against his side melting the ice that had built up in him over the course of the day. 

Of course, that tranquility was shattered by a knock at the door.

"Think that's her?" Levi asked, leaning away so the other could stand, making his way to the door.

"Really hope not." Straightening himself, Erwin took a deep breath, coming to stand in the foyer, right before the door, hesitantly pulling it open.

"I know you don't like bringing work home--"

There was a smile on Erwin's face when he interrupted: "Not so much as a hello, Nile?"

Rolling his eyes, Nile gave a short, "Hello."

That smile only widened when Erwin stepped aside, saying, "Come on in."

"I can't stay," the brunette said, handing over a large manila envelope. "I know you don't like to bring work home, but you forgot some of it. Told you you would."

"I'm sorry," Erwin said, smiling when Nile finally decided to come in, taking the envelope and making space for him to come through. "I'll bring it with me in the morning, all right?"

The brunette didn't seem too pleased with that, looking decidedly irritated in his jeans and polo shirt. It had been ages since Erwin had seen him in casual clothes: He practically lived at work.

"How's Mary been?" Erwin asked, closing the door, and following the brunette into the living room.

"Fine."

"And the kids?"

"They're fine--" And Nile stopped dead in his tracks. There was a spark in his eyes, surprise, and something darker. "Levi."

Levi's tone was even darker, though there was a sort of honey-rich seduction to it: "Nile."

"You two know each other?" Erwin sounded more hesitant than either of them, sapphire eyes darting back and forth between the two brunettes. 

"He's a customer of mine," Levi said, a cruel smirk cutting across his face as he spoke. "One of my most loyal customers, actually."

"A customer..."

Nile's glare was fierce, as was his tone, when he insisted, "I'm just here to drop off the paperwork."

"You never said that you and Levi knew each other," Erwin said, the day's ice hardening again, encasing him in a frozen shell. 

"It's a pretty common name," Nile said, shrugging, eyes averted. It was a half-assed response. "I was hoping you were talking about a different Levi..."

"What about Mary?" Erwin asked, crossing his arms over his chest, a firm frown set on his face.

"She doesn't know." Nile's face was turned toward Levi, his feet planted firmly at the very edge of the living room, his eyes darting towards his left, focused on Erwin as he spoke, his tone sharp. "She doesn't need to know."

"She deserves to know," was all Erwin said. 

The look in Nile's eyes agreed: You're right.

"You never said you were married, Nile." Somehow, Levi didn't sound surprised. Nor did he sound offended, the sultry little smirk on his face making him to appear nothing less than utterly smug. "She must be pretty dull for you to come to me. Or do you just prefer--"

"It's none of your business," Nile said, his tone harsh, eyes cold. "Mary and the kids..." He shook his head, irate. "None of your business. You don't need to know anything. You don't know anything. You're a slut, and nothing more."

"Not anymore." Levi stood, sashaying his way across the room, coming to a stop at Erwin's side, hands curling around a strong bicep, his eyes on Nile, sharp and arrogant. "I'm what you'd call a house-husband."

"Is that what Erwin told you?" 

"Nile." Erwin's voice was firm, his glare cold, cutting. "That's enough."

"You know he's taking advantage of you, don't you?" Nile's voice was just as firm, his glare just as cold. He was putting up a fight; That was unusual. His pride was the only thing he'd fight for. 

"Levi isn't taking advantage of me," Erwin said, brows knitted in frustration. 

"Yes, he is. You're a pushover: You take in the most useless people you come across, and then you let them take advantage of you. Hanji's still doing it."

"Nile--" 

"It's all true."

"I like to help people, Nile," Erwin said, his patience quickly wearing thin, keenly aware of the glare Levi was shooting at the other brunette. "It's not the same thing."

"You--"

"Have you told your wife?" Levi suddenly asked, that smug smirk masked by a frigid glare.

"She doesn't need to know," was the answer, tense, spat out like a curse. "And you--" That dark, blazing glare fell on Erwin again. "--get your shit together. I know Petra's lawyers are coming down hard, but that's no excuse. Stop being stupid and--"

Again, Levi stepped in, though this time with a punch, catching along Nile's cheekbone, the force shoving the taller brunette reeling back a few steps.

"Don't insult him," Levi said, his tone chilling the other two to the bone. "Erwin is three times the man you are."

"Coming from you," Nile said, wiping a bit of blood from the fresh cut across his cheek, "that doesn't mean much."

"Means more coming from me than from you."

"Who do you think you are?" Nile's glare was sharp enough to cut diamond now, his emotions barely reined in. This was getting out of hand.

"Someone who's honest with himself."

When Nile snapped, it was very nearly audible, and he lunged, just barely held away from Levi by Erwin's hand at the center of his chest, the blonde's other arm looped about Levi's shoulders, pressing the smaller brunette into his side. 

"Let go of him, Erwin." 

Levi sounded so commanding that Erwin just barely managed to resist following that order.

"I wanna fight him."

"You'll do no such thing," was Erwin's response, calm and cold and utterly in control. "He's a foot taller and fifty pounds heavier than you. You don't stand a chance."

"Why're you even bothering trying to hold him back?" Nile snapped, that black-ice stare still on Levi, focused and intense, hands fisted at his sides. "Whose side are you on?"

When no answer came, Nile's glare degraded to disbelief. "You're on his side."

Still Erwin said nothing, holding Levi to his side, though the little brunette was still actively trying to wriggle his way out of that iron grip.

"What the hell is going on with you, Erwin?" Nile seemed more confused than anything else, though that rage was still present in his face and stance and voice. "When did some whore you just met become a priority? Why should he matter at all?"

A snarl twisted Levi's face when he lunged again, though this time, Erwin managed to hold him back, both arms looping around the brunette's torso, pulling him against his chest. 

"Wait, Levi."

"What for?" That growl was still present in the younger's voice, though it was softening a bit. 

Erwin gave no answer, merely watching in tense silence as Nile stalked out of the apartment, his expression shifting into concern when the door shut, and he finally released the little brunette from his grip. "I'm going to call Mary."

"For what?" Levi asked, rubbing his sore knuckles and watching as Erwin made his way to the telephone on the end table.

"To explain why Nile's hurt," Erwin said. "And to at least give her an idea of what's been going on. He's not the sort to do it himself, and she deserves to know."

"Why the hell are you helping him?"

"Because he's my friend," was all Erwin said, and that only served to intensify the irritation simmering in Levi's voice.

"He's an asshole."

"Irrelevant," Erwin said next, his tone as even as ever. "Next to Mike and Hanji, Nile is the closest friend I have."

There was a scoff, incredulous, irritated, and Levi shoved past the blonde, glaring over his shoulder as he slammed the door behind him. 

Even through the thick wood of the door and the busy-tone of the phone, Erwin heard Levi's voice, soft in the hallway: "You deserve each other."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was... Not fun to write. I adore Nile, really I do, but I can see him reacting like this, so... Yeah. As much as I dislike making him a sort of "bad guy," it's kind of necessary. Plot point revealed, conflict, physical violence, all that jazz. Only a few chapters left after this! 
> 
> Next chapter: Where did Levi run off to? We'll find out!
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I can be found over here: Strangler-figg.tumblr.com


	19. Separate Ways

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I was afraid," Levi said, his voice so quiet that he himself could barely hear it. There was a sardonic smile on his lips when continued, "Of my own feelings." He sighed, giving a humorless chuckle, watching the miserable reflection in his cup. "I'm afraid, Hanji. The last time I loved anyone, I lost them."
> 
> Modern prostitution AU, Eruri, NC-17 rating overall, though this particular chapter is safe for work

"C'mon, Levi! Open up!" Hanji's voice had become all too familiar, though it was strange to hear it from the hall of the old apartment. "You just gonna stay in there and sulk for the rest of your life?"

"I'm not sulking," was all Levi said as he finally opened the door, gesturing the other in despite the look of annoyance seemingly carved into his features. As he headed over into the kitchen, he asked, "Coffee?"

"With creamer and sugar, please!"

"Milk okay?"

"Yep!" And Hanji froze in place, just looking around. "So...This is where you lived before you moved in with Erwin?" Their voice was loud, though somehow not out of place as it bounced against the walls of Levi's apartment. It reminded him of Isabel's voice.

"This is it," was all he said. 

"Can I sit down?" Hanji asked next, their voice oddly tense. 

"Yeah, sure."

And they did, still glancing around, dark eyes wide as they took in the mish-mash of styles decorating the living room. "It's cute," they said, sounding honest enough, a cautious smile on their face. "Your friends helped you decorate, huh?"

"Yeah."

The silence that followed was awkward and drawn-out, thoroughly uncomfortable despite the cozy air of the apartment itself, and Hanji took it upon themselves to break it.

"Is everything all right?" they asked, patting the seat of the couch, an invitation. "Did something happen with Erwin? It's been three days and you haven't even mentioned him. And now, coming back here... Did you break up?"

"Not sure," Levi said, his voice heavy, tired as he sat beside Hanji, sinking into the worn fabric of the couch and handing over a mug of coffee, keeping on for himself, his eyes set on the dark liquid as it steamed in his hands. "I think we did."

"How come?" They were too curious for their own good, pressing on despite the frigid warning glare Levi was currently sporting. 

"He was holding me back," was all the little brunette said, looking tinier than ever on the oversized, overstuffed couch.

"Holding you back from what?" Hanji asked, ignoring the growing irritation on Levi's face and setting their mug on the table. "From your job? I didn't even know you had one!"

"It's not really a real job," Levi said, his voice quiet. Why? He had no reason to be ashamed. Sure, the housewife gig was easier, and no doubt cleaner, but there was no shame in utilizing what genetics had given you. If you've got it, flaunt it, they say. Of course, he'd done a whole hell of a lot more than simply flaunting it...

Luckily, Hanji seemed to pick on his tone, and a spark lit up behind their eyes, sparkling even through those bottle-thick tortoise-shell glasses. "So what you said about being Erwin's whore," they said, strangely cautious, though still clearly interested, "that was true? You're a hooker?"

"I am." There was no shame in his voice now.

"And, what, Erwin wants you to quit?" Hanji asked, resting their elbow on the arm of the sofa, resting their cheek against their knuckles, studying Levi with quiet intent.

"He never said he did," Levi replied, "but I know he wanted me to. Can't really say I blame him for it. He was holding me back from fighting, too, though, and that's what really got to me."

"He didn't want you to fight someone?" Hanji asked, looking far too nonchalant. "That's a good thing, you know. He doesn't wanna see you get hurt."

"I can hold my own in a fight." He actually sounded a bit offended. "I can fight my own battles."

"Even so," Hanji said, "that's no reason to end a relationship. He cares about you, Levi. I really hope you didn't end it over something like that."

"I don't know if we ended it or not."

"Then call him!" Hanji said, suddenly smiling and looking strangely hopeful. "Erwin's not the sort to be put off over something like this! He's more persistent than that. He's not gonna just give up on someone he's worked so hard with."

"What do you mean?" There was no interest in Levi's voice.

There was a short pause before Hanji answered. "He's not trying to fix you, necessarily," they said next, that smile turning into a look of contemplation. "He's trying to help you. Don't you think pulling you out of a job where you're likely to get sick and die is a good thing? That pulling you out of a physical fight is a good thing? He means well, you know."

"I know he does." Those words stung. It hurt to say them aloud. The whiskey he'd added to his coffee was sweet in comparison.

"Then what's the problem?"

There was a pause, deathly quiet, before Levi answered, "I don't know. I thought it had to do with Nile, but really, I got a punch in, so--"

"But you still ran away," Hanji said, though there was no judgment in their voice. "Why?"

"I was afraid," Levi said next, his voice so quiet that he himself could barely hear it. 

"Of what?"

There was a sardonic smile on his lips when Levi replied: "Of my own feelings." He sighed, giving a humorless chuckle, watching the miserable reflection in his cup. "I'm afraid, Hanji. The last time I loved anyone, I lost them."

"There's nothing to be afraid of," Hanji said, their left hand coming to rest on the smaller brunette's shoulder. "You know how Erwin is. He's not the sort to give up on people. He'll do everything in his power to be with you, and you know it."

"I do."

"So call him."

And the decision was made. Setting his mug on the table, Levi fished his cellphone from the pocket of his jeans, punching in Erwin's number, the entire apartment falling into silence as he waited for the blonde to pick up. 

There was no such luck to be had. A ring sounded, then two, then three, and then: "You've reached Erwin Smith. I'm not available at the moment, but I'll call you back as soon as I'm able."

It would be an hour and a half before Erwin noticed the new voicemail, the rumble of Mike's voice drowning out the phone's vibrations.

"You miss him, don't you?"

"Of course I miss him," was Erwin's reply, exhaustion heavy in his voice. "How could I not?"

On his side of the room, Nile rolled his eyes, the skin around the left still swollen and bruised.

"I didn't ask for your opinion," Erwin said, though his voice was nowhere near as cold as he wanted it to be. After a moment of thought, he asked, "Did you tell Mary?"

"That's none of your business," was all Nile said, fixing a dirty look down at the papers littering his desk. 

"Nile." It came out more as a sigh than anything else, and Erwin sounded more like a parent scolding a spoiled child than anything intimidating. "You can't just shut me out over something like this."

"And why not?"

"Because I'm still your friend," Erwin said, an apologetic look on his face, "and I don't plan on giving up on you over something like this. We all make mistakes."

"I don't see what difference it makes," Nile said after a short pause, his brow furrowed in a mixture of irritation and frustration, "but I did tell her."

"And what did she say?" Erwin asked next, unaware of the fact that his elbows were now resting on his desk as he leaned in to listen.

"She didn't take it well." That statement came with a rueful chuckle.

"Is she leaving?"

"No. She said something about marriage counseling, but we both know we're too busy for that. She's got the kids and her teaching job, and I'm always here..."

"It's better than her leaving, though," Erwin said, shrugging his shoulders.

"I'd have left." Mike was eyeing Nile as he spoke, a look of disgust on his face. It didn't suit him. "Not only were you cheating, but you couldn't even get it for free? You've got a wife and two kids, with another on the way. You really don't have extra money to just throw around, y'know."

"Mike." Erwin's voice was cold: A warning.

"Don't blame Levi for decking him, either. Sure he deserved it."

"Mike!" There was a dangerous edge to that tone.

"Not taking it back," the taller blonde said, strong arms crossing over his chest. "I didn't say anything that wasn't true."

"Be that as it may--"

"It's fine, Erwin."

That was a surprise.

"He's right," was all Nile had to say for himself, dark, bloodshot eyes still lowered. "I deserved it."

"Never pegged you as the type to admit to something like that," Mike said, and the brunette just shot him a contrite half-smile. "But, to make up for you being a dumbass and chasing Levi off, you're taking us out to lunch."

"Didn't you just say I didn't have money to throw around?"

And Mike smiled, giving an overdramatic sigh and saying, "I'll pay then."

Erwin for his part, was quiet, giving a resigned little smile of his own. Mike was surprisingly easy to please. As the other two readied themselves to leave, he pulled the cellphone from his desk drawer, eyes widening at the icon on the screen. "Levi called."

"Did he leave a message?" Oddly enough, Nile was the one asking. "Is he going to take you back?"

"I certainly hope so," was all Erwin said.

"Do you--"

"Well, shut up so he can hear the message," Mike interrupted, though there was a smile lingering at the edges of his lips.

"You have one new message," the mechanical voice said, and Erwin felt his chest go tight in worried anticipation. "To play the message, press one."

And, of course, he did.

"All right, listen up, asshole." God, he had missed that voice. "I might be willing to forgive you for holding me back on one condition."

"Name it," Erwin thought, unaware that the words had actually managed to slip out.

"I'm at my place now," Levi's voice continued, acerbic as always. "You want me back, you get your ass here as soon as you get off work, understood?"

Through the tension twisting his gut, Erwin managed to force a single word past his lips: "Understood."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Erwin's definitely not the type to give up on something, least of all something he wants as badly as he wants Levi. And Hanji isn't really willing to leave things be. But that's a good thing, I'd say. Levi doesn't seem like the type to swallow his pride without a friendly push in the right direction...
> 
> Next chapter: The confrontation! The final chapter of What's Mine! Be sure to stay tuned! 
> 
> Excited for the next chapter? Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I can be found over here: Strangler-figg.tumblr.com


	20. Prove It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It took all Erwin had to bring himself to speak. "Levi--"
> 
> "Don't." The brunette stood then, making his way to the door at incredible speed, darting towards the entryway, gripping the lapels of Erwin's suit jacket, shoving the blonde against the wood of the door with a dull thunk. "You're the one who fucked up, not me. Don't you dare fucking lecture me. That understood?"
> 
> Modern prostitution AU, Eruri, NC-17 rating overall, though this particular chapter is safe for work

"What am I gonna do if he doesn't come?" Levi's voice was soft, dissolving around him, barely reaching Hanji's ears, though there were mere feet from each other.

"He'll come," was Hanji's response, their voice strangely reassuring. "Trust me. He'll come."

And, then, almost as if on cue, the sound came: Three sharp raps sounded at the front door, swift, impatient, though not overtly so, still perfectly in control. That was Erwin; There was no doubt about it.

"I'm gonna get that, okay?"

"G'head."

"Afternoon, Erwin!" Hanji said as they pulled the door open, revealing the winded, exhausted blonde on the other side.

"Is Levi here?" He already knew the answer.

"Yep!" 

When Erwin tried to slip into the apartment, though, the other blocked him. "Hanji, what--"

"Did you read my texts?" they asked, their voice a rushed whisper, eyes darting nervously towards Levi, pleased to see his eyes trained elsewhere. 

"Yes, of course." It was the truth.

"Good, good." Tossing another quick glance at Levi, Hanji said to him, "Good luck." To Erwin, they said in a whisper, "Don't screw this up, okay?" 

And then Hanji was gone, the apartment lapsing into silence as Erwin stood awkwardly in the entryway. 

It took all he had to bring himself to speak. "Levi--"

"Don't." The brunette stood then, making his way to the door at incredible speed, darting towards the entryway, gripping the lapels of Erwin's suit jacket, shoving the blonde against the wood of the door with a dull thunk. "You're the one who fucked up, not me. Don't you dare fucking lecture me. That understood?"

"Yes." The words were tense, but Erwin willed himself to go along with it anyway. Levi wouldn't hurt him, he was sure of that much. 

A few seconds later, another question came: "Have you learned your lesson?"

"I have," Erwin replied, making sure to keep any traces of hesitation from his voice, silently thanking Hanji for all the texts they'd sent him over the day. "I don't hold you back."

"Damn right you don't." Levi's voice was cold, but the ice seemed to be melting away, frozen gunmetal giving way to that molten silver Erwin had become so fond of. "If I want to do something, you let me do it. Even the stupid shit. If I wanna throw my life away being a whore, let me. If I wanna beat the shit outta someone who deserves it, let me. If I wanna spend the rest of my life tailing after some big, stupid puppy, let me."

There was a smile on Erwin's face when he replied, half-sarcastic, "I love you, too." 

"Do you now?" Levi's interest had been piqued, that much was obvious.

Taking just a moment to think it over, Erwin gave his answer: "I do."

When Levi replied, that teasing lilt only heard in the best of times saturated his voice: "Then prove it."

"How?"

His hands sliding from Erwin's lapels to the belt loops of his trousers, Levi replied with a strangely candid, "Make love to me." 

It was meant half as a taunt, Erwin knew that, but the temptation was too much, and he pulled Levi up into a kiss near-instantly, arms encircling the little brunette's waist and holding him close.

"Can't believe you went for that." It was a half-whisper, half-gasp against Erwin's lips. Soon enough, though, Levi managed to pull away enough to drag the blonde over to the chair across from the sofa, roughly shoving the larger man into it, saying, "Enough."

Erwin gave a slight chuckle at that. "I thought you'd be the sort to enjoy angry make-up sex," was all he said.

"Usually, I am." That statement came with a widening of Levi's stance, his hands on his hips as he glared down at the blonde. "But I'm still too pissed to think about that sorta thing right now."

"Fair enough," Erwin allowed, that smile still on his face, looking quite pleased when Levi took a seat on the floor at his feet. "Do you just want to talk, then?"

"Yeah." 

And so Erwin asked the first question that came to his mind: "I thought you were uncomfortable with being here?"

"I was," Levi replied, his voice soft as his eyes roved the room, as if taking it all in. "But I missed it. Truth be told, I needed it. I feel a lot better than I did when I was avoiding it, at least." And then, at long last, gunmetal and sapphire locked, and he said, "I'm home, Erwin."

The blonde took a moment to reply, eventually forcing himself to say, "I'm happy for you." But the words were hollow, and he was certain the other was aware of it. 

"It's not like I plan on leaving you," was Levi's half-chuckled reply, pairing the action with a soft nuzzle to Erwin's thigh, warm and gentle. 

That was a relief.

"Don't know why," Levi said next, his voice soft, his eyes slipping closed as he willed away the faint blush quickly overtaking his face, "but I missed you."

"You know why," Erwin said, the words mixed in with a soft, knowing smile.

"So maybe I love you," Levi said, wrapping his arms around the blonde's leg, one hand at his thigh, the other looped under his knee, fingers curled about his calf, glancing at the other with quicksilver eyes. "So what?"

For his part, Erwin said nothing, though the smile came across his face widened when Levi shivered against him at the feeling of strong fingers tangling themselves into his hair.

"You're not gonna say anything?" Levi asked, dark eyes coming to rest on the blonde's face, cautious, curious, almost catlike. "I just said something kinda serious."

"I love you, too." It was surprising how easily those words fled his lips, desperate to be spoken. "But I'm sure you knew that already."

"Guess I did..." Levi gave a soft chuckle, saying, "It's been obvious for a while now.

"I suppose it has," was Erwin's reply, something soft and warm settling into his voice. "When did you know?"

"That you loved me?"

"Mm-hmm."

"You looked at me differently when we went to the bistro," Levi said, his eyes faraway, distant, his voice soft and hesitant. "There was something..." He wet his lips, his brow furrowing in concentration. "There was something different in your eyes that night. You looked at me like I was something special, something important."

"You are special," Erwin said, meaning it, and Levi gave a pleased shiver against him. "And you are important. If anyone tells you otherwise, they're wrong."

"Glad you think so." Another nuzzle came with those words. "All this sappy shit is pretty new to me, though..."

"I can tell." 

Any bite those words may have had was negated by the utter warmth in the blonde's voice, and Levi continued, "With me, it's cliché as all hell, but I really think I realized it after that first time we actually fucked." 

"Do you really have to phrase it that way?" Erwin asked, his face scrunched into an exaggeration of distaste and confusion. 

Levi couldn't help but laugh at that face, though he held firm elsewhere. "Don't look at me like that." The words barely managed to slip past the laughter blocking his throat, but he pressed on nonetheless. "No way in hell am I calling it 'making love.' That makes it sound even cornier than it already is."

"It's not that corny." Not even Erwin could keep a straight face saying that, and Levi flashed a grin up at him in response. "Besides, a few minutes ago, I distinctly remember--"

"Erwin."

The blonde gave a chuckle at that asking instead, "Why then? And was it the act itself, or...?"

"It was right afterwards." Levi's voice was quiet now, the smile fading away, replaced by a dreary, melancholic expression, that gunmetal gaze dropping to the floor. "No one ever wanted to hold me afterward before."

"Levi..."

"I don't want your pity." That snap came out more aggressive than Levi had intended, but he continued anyway, saying, "Call it a job hazard. They fuck you , they pay you, and then they leave. That's just how it works."

"Promise me you won't go back to selling yourself," Erwin said, his voice terse and tense, seriousness carved into his features.

"I won't." And Levi meant it. "I've got you now, so I really don't think money's gonna be an issue from here on out, at least not to the point where we'd be that desperate."

"True enough," Erwin said, fingers stroking along the nape of the little brunette's neck. "But what now? Where do we go from here?"

"Well," Levi said, his tone surprisingly tongue-in-cheek, "you're the one who was married, so I think you're the one to ask, not me."

"Not really," Erwin disagreed, sounding oddly sheepish, eyes darting off to one side. "It's not as if it worked out."

"Your failed marriage is more relationship experience than I have," Levi said next, a sardonic smirk on his lips. "Did I ever tell you you're the first actual relationship I've ever had?"

"No, I don't think you did." Erwin moved his hand to drag his fingers along Levi's cheek, their eyes locking together. "I hope I'm your last, too. I don't plan on letting you go."

The possessiveness in that statement, in that tone forced a shiver down the little brunette's spine. "I know how you can keep me close," he said, his voice soft, secretive.

"Oh?"

"Move in with me."

"...What?" Erwin's face was a caricature of pleased surprise, his voice soft and shaky.

"Petra took everything, didn't she?" Levi asked, crossing his arms and using them as a pillow against the blonde's thighs. "She took everything, and you didn't wanna tell me. That's why you've been so stressed out lately, right?"

"It was that obvious?" There was no amusement in Erwin's voice; Just exhaustion. He was worn to the bone. He could hide it well, and with very little effort, but the divorce proceedings were definitely taking a toll on him.

"Pretty much, yeah."

"I got the eviction notice yesterday," Erwin said, another sigh slipping past his lips, this one utterly dismal. "I have a week to gather what little I'm allowed to keep and go elsewhere."

"Erwin?" 

"Hmm?"

Move in with me," Levi said, more insistent this time, his eyes meeting Erwin's without a single trace of doubt. "I hate being alone. Just humor me, all right? I don't wanna be alone, especially here. Especially after I've gotten used to being with you every day."

"You're sure you don't want to find somewhere else?" Erwin asked, sparing a quick glance around the room. "You're really comfortable with being here again?"

"I am." There was no sign of uncertainty in his voice or on his face. "You gonna do it, then?"

There was a smile on Erwin's lips when he gave his answer: "I'd love to."

And Levi smiled, gunmetal eyes softening to molten silver, bright and warm as he leaned up to steal a kiss. "Help yourself to whatever you want," he said, an echo of Erwin's words from long, long ago. "What's mine is yours."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it: The ending of What's Mine. I'm terribly sad to see this story end. It's been crazy fun to write! I'd like to apologize to Nile and Petra, for making them "bad guys" in a way, despite the fact that they're some of my favorite characters. Other than that, there's really nothing I really dislike or regret about this fic, save not really getting into Hanji and Erwin's friendship. Maybe I'll do a one-shot to cover that at some point... Other than that, I'm quite proud of this fic!
> 
> I'd like to thank everyone who read this fic, everyone who left kudos and comments and put up with my sporadic updates. I adore you all! 
> 
> Sporadic updates can be updated again soon with my new fic, another multichap Eruri by the name of Make Me! It's going to be about the same length, I think, though set in a different AU: Stripper-Light-BDSM-office-verse. You can find it here: (http://archiveofourown.org/works/1864218/chapters/4012866)
> 
> Have constructive criticism or even just silly comments to add? Let me know! And as always, I must mention that I go by Strangler-figg on Tumblr, and I'm totally open to taking questions and comments there! :)


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